Decentralized Diabetes Research Reduces Dropout Rates in Longitudinal Studies

The rising trend of obesity and diabetes has significant public health implications worldwide. According to research from the Scripps Research Digital Trials Center (2023), approximately 13% of adults in the United States have type 2 diabetes, while nearly 40% struggle with obesity. These figures highlight the urgent need for effective treatments and interventions, which require robust clinical research.

However, traditional clinical trials face significant limitations in diabetes research due to the impact of obesity, especially when studying long-term effects. This often results in high dropout rates in longitudinal studies and a lack of diversity among participants.

This article compares the traditional approach to a decentralized model of diabetes research, where data collection is largely digital, offering a more representative picture of the patient population.

The Patient Journey in Decentralized Diabetes Research

A Decentralized Clinical Trial (DCT) allows patients to participate from their own location, as research data is mostly collected digitally. This makes participation more manageable over the long term.

A patient journey in a decentralized study looks very different:

1. Digital recruitment and screening
   Patients are recruited online and can be screened from home. No matter where you live, if you meet the study criteria, you can participate.
2. Electronic Informed Consent (eConsent)
   Participants give their consent digitally after the study information is clearly explained.
3. Wearables and remote monitoring
   Continuous Glucose Monitors (CGMs) automatically collect data on blood glucose levels, activity, sleep, and other key parameters.
4. Real-Time Data Collection (RWD)
   Data from wearables is directly transmitted to the central research system (EDC) using eSource technology, providing researchers with up-to-date data at all times.
5. Electronic Patient-Reported Outcomes (ePRO)
   Participants complete online questionnaires via a user-friendly app, which even sends reminders when data needs to be entered.

Virtual visits
Check-ins with the research team are mostly done via video calls, eliminating the need for travel.

The Patient Journey in Traditional Diabetes Research

Patients are required to travel regularly to the research center, meticulously track their symptoms, and adhere to strict study protocols. The longer a diabetes study lasts, the more participants perceive it as a disruptive burden to their everyday lives.

Example of a patient journey in a traditional trial

To illustrate the challenges, let’s follow the journey of Lisa, a 45-year-old woman with type 2 diabetes caused by obesity.
Lisa was selected by her physician for a traditional clinical trial investigating a new diabetes medication. Her participation included:

• A 45-minute trip to the research center every two weeks

• Keeping a paper diary of blood sugar measurements

• Detailed logging of food intake and physical activity

• Completing extensive questionnaires during each visit

• After three months, Lisa dropped out of the study. The travel time, work and family responsibilities, and administrative burden became too much.

Her experience is unfortunately not unique. Many potential participants quit for similar reasons, leading to incomplete research data and delays in developing new diabetes treatments.

Positive Results for the Research Team Too

• 20% higher response rate
  Compared to paper-based questionnaires.

• 30% higher engagement
  Enhances patient involvement in the study.

• 35% faster data collection
  Shortens study timelines thanks to real-time data input.

The Crucial Role of Real World Data and Wearables in Decentralized Diabetes Research

One of the greatest advantages of decentralized (longitudinal) research is the ability to collect Real World Data (RWD) using wearables. Unlike the strictly controlled environment of traditional trials, RWD provides better insight into how treatments perform in daily life. By lowering barriers to participation, more diverse patient groups are included, making study results more relevant to broader populations.

In diabetes research, wearables are particularly valuable because:

• Continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) offers a more realistic view of daily blood sugar fluctuations

• Activity tracking gives insight into movement patterns beyond structured exercise

• Online food diaries completed by patients provide a more complete picture of real eating habits

• Sleep quality and stress levels can be linked to glucose regulation

The data from wearables and digital diaries form Real World Evidence (RWE), which more accurately reflects the real-world effectiveness of treatments across the entire patient population. Combined with traditionally collected study data, it enables better predictions of long-term outcomes.

Conclusion

The transformation of diabetes research through decentralized clinical trials offers unprecedented opportunities for both researchers and patients. By using technology to lower participation barriers, improve data quality, and enhance the patient experience, we are moving closer to more effective treatments, and ultimately better outcomes for people with diabetes.

ResearchManager’s Clinical Research Suite accelerates this transformation, enabling researchers to optimize clinical processes while keeping the patient at the center. In a world where diabetes (driven by obesity) is becoming an increasing public health challenge, this innovative decentralized approach offers hope for faster and better solutions.

Questions? Our consultants have the answers

Would you like to learn more about using our Clinical Research Suite for a diabetes study? Our consultants are happy to explore the possibilities with you.