If a person is in diabetes remission, even if only for a short time, this reduces the risk of later diabetes complications and lowers healthcare costs. A recent study shows that long-term remission of type 2 diabetes can be achieved through calorie restriction using total diet replacement. However, this intervention involves support through face-to-face meetings every 2 to 4 weeks over a 2-year period, which is not feasible in routine care with limited resources. Therefore, we have developed an eHealth programme to help patients achieve diabetes remission through calorie restriction in a cost-effective manner. Our primary hypothesis is that an eHealth programme will be non-inferior to face-to-face meetings in helping patients with type 2 diabetes achieve remission through caloric restriction. Our second hypothesis is that eHealth support will be more cost-effective than face-to-face support.
The eHealth DIabetes remission Trial is a multicentre, two-arm, non-inferiority, open-label, randomised controlled parallel group trial with blinded endpoint assessment conducted at two centres in Sweden. The study duration is 2 years. People with type 2 diabetes (≤6 years duration) use total diet replacement (approximately 900 kcal/day) with the aim of losing 15 kg and achieving diabetes remission. Participants are randomly assigned to either the eHealth support group or the face-to-face support group. The treatment programme to achieve and maintain weight loss is the same in both groups, but the method of support differs between the groups. The primary outcome is haemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) after 1 year. The secondary outcome is HbA1c at 6 months and 2 years. Other important secondary outcomes are diabetes remission rate, body weight and cost-effectiveness. The latter is assessed using the incremental cost per quality-adjusted life-years gained.
The study was approved by the Swedish Ethical Review Authority (Dnr 2022-02242-01, 2023-03707-02). The results will be published in peer-reviewed scientific journals and discussed at national and international conferences and with patient organisations.
ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT05491005).
To evaluate if 10 sessions of hyperbaric oxygen treatments (HBOTs) improve short- and long-term health related quality of life, symptoms and physical performance in long covid patients compared with placebo.
Parallel, randomised, placebo-controlled, double-blind trial.
Single-centre, university hospital, Sweden.
Previously healthy subjects aged 18–60 years, diagnosed with long covid were included. We excluded pregnant women, patients with RAND-36 (role limitations due to physical health (RP) and physical functioning (PF)) above 70, diabetes, hypertension and contraindications for HBOT.
Subjects were randomly assigned to 10 sessions of HBOT or sham (placebo) treatments over 6 weeks. HBOT involved 100% oxygen, 2.4 bar, 90 min, placebo medical air, 1.34–1.2 bar. Randomisation (1:1) was done electronically, in blocks stratified by sex and disease severity. Subjects and investigators were blinded to allocation.
Primary endpoints were changes from baseline in RAND-36 PF and RP at 13 weeks. Efficacy was analysed on an intention-to-treat basis. Harms were evaluated according to the actual treatment given.
Between 15 September 2021 and 20 June 2023, 80 subjects (65 women, 15 men) were enrolled and randomised (40 in each group). The trial is completed. The primary endpoint analysis included 79 subjects (40 in HBOT and 39 in control). At 13 weeks, both groups showed improvement, with no significant difference between HBOT and placebo in PF (least square mean difference between groups (LSD), 0.63 (95% CI –7.04 to 8.29), p=0.87) and RP (LSD, 2.35 (95% CI –5.95 to 10.66), p=0.57). Harms: 43 adverse events (AEs), most commonly cough and chest pain/discomfort, occurred in 19 subjects (49%) of the HBOT group and 38 AEs in 18 subjects (44%) of the placebo group, one serious AE in HBOT and one death in the placebo group.
10 HBOT sessions did not show more short-term benefits than placebo for long covid patients. Both groups improved, with a notable sex difference. HBOT has a favourable harm profile.
ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT04842448), EudraCT (2021-000764-30). The trial was funded by Vetenskapsrådet (2022-00834), Region Stockholm (2020-0731, 2022-0674), Hjärt-Lungfonden and OuraHealth Oy.