- Design
- Two-arm randomised controlled trial, single centre
- Population
- 134 adults in China with type 2 diabetes at high predicted risk of kidney disease
- Primary outcome
- HbA1c, eGFR, UACR, blood pressure, LDL cholesterol and body measures at 24 weeks
- Effect
- Significant improvements in HbA1c, eGFR, systolic pressure and LDL-C vs usual care; no difference in UACR
People with type 2 diabetes identified as high risk for diabetic kidney disease by a validated model were randomised to a 12-week structured self-management programme or usual care, then followed to 24 weeks.
The programme improved glycaemic control, kidney filtration, blood pressure and cholesterol, but not albuminuria or weight measures. The abstract does not give effect sizes.
The trial was small and short, in a tertiary hospital. It supports adding self-management education to the standard diabetes review, but not in place of proven drugs.
- HbA1c, eGFR, systolic pressure and LDL cholesterol improved compared with usual care.
- Urine albumin-to-creatinine ratio, BMI and waist did not change.
- Identify high kidney risk early using urine ACR and eGFR at least yearly.
- SGLT2 inhibitors and RAS blockers remain the core kidney-protective drugs.
Why it matters
Kidney protection in diabetes is usually discussed as a drug question; this suggests early self-management can move several risk factors at once.
Don't overread it
Albuminuria did not change, and a single-centre trial of 24 weeks cannot show fewer kidney outcomes.
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