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. 2014 Nov 20;2014(11):CD000011. doi: 10.1002/14651858.CD000011.pub4

Zolfaghari 2012.

Methods Randomized controlled trial
Participants The study location was Tehran, Iran
38 short message services (SMS) participants were randomized to the intervention group and 39 telephone follow‐up participants were randomized to the control group
The inclusion criteria were to have telephone access in their homes and their own personal mobile phones, or have access to one belonging to a relative, age 18 or above. They could only used oral antidiabetic medications. The had to be able to read and write, had sufficient power vision, had no problem in hearing and vocalization and did not have a history of psychiatric diseases
The exclusion criteria were clinical history of an important illness such as renal insufficiency with a creatinine level > 1.5 mg/dl, hepatic insufficiency, mentally ill or had < 7% of HbA1c
Interventions Intervention: SHORT MESSAGE SYSTEM (SMS) GROUP
 Participants in both groups received 3 days of diabetes self care education sessions. Before the intervention, the SMS group received 10 minutes of instruction on how to use their cell phones and check their ability to read the SMS. The intervention was provided for 3 months. Patients in the SMS group received about 6 messages every week (excluding holidays) that consisted information about taking a diet, exercising, diabetic medication taking, frequent self monitoring of blood glucose levels and stress management. Overall, 72 messages were sent to patients during intervention, and the length of each message was not more than 160 features. Participants in the SMS group could receive messages at any place where access was possible by cellular phone. The researcher sent optimal recommendations back to each patient, 6 times by SMSs of a cellular phone weekly.
Control: TELEPHONE INTERVENTION GROUP
 The intervention for the telephone group was provided via telephone for 3 months. The intervention was provided by counseling scheduled appointments – whenever the time was convenient to the subject. The content of intervention consisted of counseling on the nature of the disease, risk factors, importance of maintaining blood glucose levels within a near‐normal range, continuous education and reinforcement of diet, exercise, medications taking, hypoglycemia management, illness management, how to record daily blood glucose and frequent self monitoring of blood glucose levels. The researcher contacted the telephone group at least twice a week for the first month and then weekly for the second and third month. The total frequency of telephone counseling averaged 16 times per subject. The average length of these contacts was 20 minutes per call. The researcher asked questions about the diet: 'Did you eat salad and vegetable before every meal?', 'How many days did you follow your recommended diet over the past days?' 'Did you eat your meals at regular times?' and…some recommendations about exercising such as: 'How many times did you do physical exercising or walking during the last days?' 'When is the best time to exercise'? 'Did you feel better after exercising?' 'Do you know that exercising is as important as diabetic medication?' and…medication related questions were: 'Did you take your recommended diabetic medication?' 'When did you consume your prescribed tablet? 'Do you know how your consuming medications, act in your body?'…and so on
Outcomes The measure of adherence was self reported adherence, which was measured by self care diabetes questionnaire during 3 stages of the study: at baseline, 3, and 6 months. The questionnaire consisted of 3 items: demographic characteristics, disease characteristics and questions related to adherence therapeutic regimen namely diabetic diet, physical exercise, and diabetic medication taking. The score of '4' was given for an achieved goal and '0' for a non‐achieved goal
The patient outcome was HbA1c, measured at baseline and at 3 months by a high‐performance liquid chromatography technique
Notes
Risk of bias
Bias Authors' judgement Support for judgement
Random sequence generation (selection bias) Low risk They were randomized by random permuted block design using a random number table and assigned to one of 2 groups: SMS group (n = 39) or telephone group (n = 41)
Allocation concealment (selection bias) Unclear risk No information about how allocation was handled. "They were randomised by random permuted block design using a random number table and assigned to one of two groups: SMS group (n = 39) or telephone group (n = 41)." (pg 1924)
Selective reporting (reporting bias) Unclear risk No protocol available; although it appears that everything was reported it is difficult to determine this without a protocol
Other bias Unclear risk There is insufficient rationale or evidence that an identified problem in the limitations will introduce bias
Blinding of outcome assessment (detection bias) 
 Adherence measure Unclear risk (PRIMARY) SELF REPORT ‐ QUESTIONNAIRE ‐ No information on blinding given. There is insufficient information to permit judgment of 'Low risk' or 'High risk'
Blinding of outcome assessment (detection bias) 
 Patient outcome Low risk (PRIMARY) HBA1C LEVEL ‐ This is an objective measure of outcome
Blinding of participants (performance bias) 
 Adherence measure High risk (PRIMARY) SELF REPORT ‐ QUESTIONNAIRE ‐ This is a subjective measure; there is no information on blinding
Blinding of participants (performance bias) 
 Patient outcome Low risk (PRIMARY) HBA1C LEVEL ‐ This is an objective measure of outcome
Blinding of personnel (performance bias) 
 Adherence measure Unclear risk (PRIMARY) SELF REPORT ‐ QUESTIONNAIRE ‐ No information on blinding. Insufficient information to permit judgment of 'Low risk' or 'High risk'
Blinding of personnel (performance bias) 
 Patient outcome Low risk (PRIMARY) HBA1C LEVEL ‐ This is an objective measure of outcome
Incomplete outcome data (attrition bias) 
 Adherence measure Unclear risk (PRIMARY) SELF REPORT ‐ QUESTIONNAIRE ‐ Fairly similar attrition, but there was a small sample size so it is unclear
Incomplete outcome data (attrition bias) 
 Patient outcome Unclear risk (PRIMARY) HBA1C LEVEL ‐ Fairly similar attrition, but there was a small sample size so it is unclear

ACE: angiotensin‐converting enzyme
 ACR: American College of Rheumatology
 ACTG: AIDS Clinical Trials Group
 AHA: American Heart Association
 AMI: acute myocardial infarction

AP: anti‐psychotic
 ARB: angiotensin receptor blocker
 ART: antiretroviral therapy
 ARV: antiretroviral
 AT: adherence therapy

AVRF: audiovisual reminder function
 BDI: Beck Depression Inventory

BG: blood glucose
 BMI: body mass index
 BP: blood pressure
 BPRS: Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale

CDSMP: chronic disease self‐management program
 CES‐D: Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale
 CHD: coronary heart disease

CHF: chronic heart failure
 CI: confidence interval
 COPD: chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
 CRP: C‐reactive protein
 CV: cardiovascular
 DBP: diastolic blood pressure

DKA: diabetic ketoacidosis 
 DMAS: Disease Management Assistance System
 DSM‐IV: Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders ‐ IV
 ECG: electrocardiogram
 ED: emergency department
 ER: emergency room
 EULAR: European League Against Rheumatism
 FEV1: forced expiratory volume in one second
 FVC: forced vital capacity

FP: fluticasone propionate

FRS: Framingham risk score
 GAF: Global Assessment of Function
 GP: general practitioner
 HAART: highly active antiretroviral therapy
 HCV: hepatitis C virus

HCTZ: hydrochlorothiazide
 HDL‐C: high‐density lipoprotein cholesterol
 HF: heart failure

HPP: health promotion program
 ICD‐9, ICD‐10: International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems (9th revision, 10th revision)
 ICS: inhaled corticosteroids
 INR: international normalized ratio
 IOP: intraocular pressure
 IPQ‐R: Revised Illness Perception Questionnaire
 ITT: intention‐to‐treat
 IV: intravenous

JNC: Joint National Committee
 LABA: long‐acting beta‐agonist
 LDL‐C: low‐density lipoprotein cholesterol
 LV: left ventricular

MARS: Medication Adherence Rating Scale
 MDI: metered‐dose inhaler

MGL: Morisky‐Green‐Levine Test
 MEMS: medication event monitoring system
 MI: myocardial infarction
 MMSE: Mini Mental State Examination

NNRTI: nonnucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor
 NYHA: New York Heart Association
 OCP: oral contraceptive pill

OP: on protocol
 OR: odds ratio
 PANSS: Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale

PCP: primary care physician
 PEF: peak expiratory flow

Peg‐INF: peginterferon (Peg‐IFN)
 PEP: post‐exposure prophylaxis
 PI: primary investigator
 PV: plasma viscosity
 QLS: quality of life scale
 QoL: quality of life

RBV: ribavirin
 RCT: randomized controlled trial

RN: registered nurse

RRB: risk reduction behaviours
 SABA: short‐acting beta‐agonist
 SBP: systolic blood pressure

SCID: Structured Clinical Interview for DSM Disroders
 SGRQ: St George's Respiratory Questionnaire

STOPS: Supevised Treatment in Out‐patients for Schizophrenia
 T & A: tonsillectomy and adenoidectomy
 TAU: treatment as usual
 URTI: upper respiratory tract infection

VA: Veterans Affairs

VAMCs: Veterans Affairs Medical Centers
 WHO: World Health Organization