TO BE A TEACHER, A TUTOR AND A FRIEND - THE PHYSICIANS ROLE ACCORDINGTO THE STOCKHOLM DIABETES INTERVENTION STUDY (SDIS)

The Stockholm Diabetes Intervention Study (SDIS) showed that lower blo od glucose levels led to halted or retarded microvascular complication s in patients with insulin-dependent (type 1) diabetes mellitus (IDDM) , Modern education was combined with tutoring, which led to improved b lood glucose control in a randomized group of patients. In this settin g, the expert-physician met an expert-patient in a mutual effort to ma ke the patient able to live his daily life according to the wishes he had, without too much special consideration to the diabetes. The goals of the treatment were thus to improve the daily quality of life of th e patient while keeping the HbA1c sufficiently low to avoid severe com plications. The physician has to accept a new role as a teacher and tu tor, and as such a caring but still professional friend.