Positive impact of mobile educational platforms on blood glucose control in patients with nephrotic syndrome and steroid-induced diabetes mellitus: a randomized controlled study

Steroid-induced diabetes mellitus (SDM) is a common complication in patients with nephrotic syndrome (NS) undergoing steroid therapy. Effective blood glucose control is critical for improving outcomes in these patients. This study evaluates the impact of mobile educational platforms on blood glucose control and patient adherence in patients with NS combined with SDM. A randomised controlled study was conducted involving 56 patients with NS and SDM at Shanxi People's Hospital between April 2019 and December 2020. Participants were recruited using convenient sampling and were randomly assigned to either the intervention group (n = 28) or the control group (n = 28). The control group received routine health management, whereas the experimental group was provided with health management via a mobile educational platform. Blood glucose levels (fasting glucose and postprandial blood glucose), self-management efficacy and patient adherence to treatment were assessed over a 6-month period. The 56 participants included in the study had a mean age of 69.0 ± 10.5 years and an average diabetes duration of 7.2 ± 3.5 years. At the end of 6 months, the intervention group showed significant reductions in fasting blood glucose and postprandial blood glucose levels (P < 0.001). Self-management efficacy, assessed using the Diabetes Self-Efficacy Scale, improved significantly post-intervention (4.42 ± 0.53 vs. 4.15 ± 0.56, P = 0.020). Additionally, patient adherence to treatment improved by 25% in the intervention group compared with the control group. The use of mobile educational platforms significantly resulted in better glycemic control and treatment adherence in the patients with NS and SDM compared to the control group. These findings suggest that integrating mobile health technologies into routine care can enhance disease management and optimise outcomes. The study was retrospectively registered "ISRCTN23135945" on 05/11/2024.