STUDY : 4 Case Studies of Long-term diabetes reversal / remission through intense lifestyle modification program

Study from India demonstrates the possibility and sustainability of remission of type 2 diabetes through intense lifestyle program. The paper shares 4 case studies

Title of Study
Long-term remission of type 2 diabetes through intense lifestyle modification program – A case series

Comments & Notes
This study reiterates not just the potential of but also the importance of lifestyle modification for patients with type 2 diabetes. That not just is diabetes remission possible through lifestyle and diet modification but that it is also sustainable long term. What I particularly liked about this study is that the researchers not just took the definition of diabetes remission that is generally accepted by the medical community worldwide, which is the achievement of normal blood glucose control (glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) levels of <6.5%) over a continuous period of 3 months without any antidiabetic medication; the researchers took the further step of subjecting the patients to Oral Glucose Tolerance Tests (OGTT) and that the patients highlighted in the 4 case studies cleared the OGTT post intervention, indicating that the patients did not just achieve normal blood glucose control through dietary restriction (often strict and severe restriction), the patients actually achieved improvement in their bodies' underlying abnormalities in glucose metabolism as well.

What the researchers did
For all the four patients described in the case series, they were put through a 1-year (6 months of intervention and 6 months of follow-up) intense lifestyle modification program, which consisted of

Coaching and Individualised Support
(1) Customized Diet
(2) Structured Physical activity regimen
(3) Stress Management
(4) Medical Management
(5) Diabetes Education

Medical management - The dosage of the diabetes medication was monitored and adjusted on a need basis by the assigned doctor until discontinuation of the diabetes medications. After being medication free for a minimum duration of 5 months, the patients attempted their first OGTT, Annual follow-up checkups were performed for all four patients and the OGTT repeated yearly on follow up

 What the researchers found

Case Study #1

Case Study #2

 

Case Study #3

Case Study #4

The Study
Tripathi P, Kadam N, Vyawahare A, Kuppusamy M, Vijayakumar V. Long-term remission of type 2 diabetes through intense lifestyle modification program - A case series. J Family Med Prim Care. 2023 Sep;12(9):2168-2171. doi: 10.4103/jfmpc.jfmpc_2282_22. Epub 2023 Sep 30. PMID: 38024910; PMCID: PMC10657089.


Link to Study on Pubmed
 Long-term remission of type 2 diabetes through intense lifestyle modification program - A case series. 

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