The baseline attributes of the intervention and control
groups were similar (Table 1). Except for having a higher
percentage of nonwhite participants, study enrollees were
demographically representative of VA ambulatory patients.
Patients who refused to participate tended to be
older than the study participants (mean age, 66 years) and
had higher mean HbA1C values (10.1%). Clinically, study
participants had poor glycemic control, low physical and
mental health scores, and high comorbidity.
Mean ( SD) follow-up was 19 2 months. Follow-up
data were obtained for 216 of the 246 randomized
patients (Figure). Excluding 6 case management and 10
control patients who died from nonstudy-related causes,
the follow-up rate was approximately 94% for both
groups, with complete data obtained for more than 90%
of intervention and control patients (some patients refused
to have exit laboratory tests performed).