The effects of multidisciplinary collaborative care on cardiovascular risk factors among patients with diabetes in primary care settings: A systematic review and meta-analysis

Background

Multidisciplinary collaborative care has been widely recommended as an effective strategy for managing diabetes; however, the cardiovascular risk factors of patients with diabetes are often inadequately managed in primary care settings. This study aimed to assess the effect of multidisciplinary collaboration on cardiovascular risk factors among patients with diabetes in primary care settings.

Methods

Five databases (i.e., Medline, Embase, CINAHL, SCOPUS and CENTRAL) were systematically searched to retrieve randomised controlled trials. Studies were eligible for inclusion if the interventions included a multidisciplinary team with professionals from at least three health disciplines and focused on patients with diabetes in primary care settings. A random-effects model was used to calculate the pooled effects.

Results

In total, 19 studies comprising 6538 patients were included in the meta-analysis. The results showed that compared with usual care, multidisciplinary collaborative care significantly reduced cardiovascular risk factors, including mean systolic blood pressure (–3.27 mm Hg, 95 % confidence interval [CI]: –4.72 to –1.82, p < 0.01), diastolic blood pressure (–1.4 mm Hg, 95 % CI: –2.32 to –0.47, p < 0.01), glycated haemoglobin (–0.42 %, 95 % CI: –0.59 to –0.25, p < 0.01), low-density lipoprotein (–0.16 mmol/L, 95 % CI: –0.26 to –0.06, p < 0.01) and high-density lipoprotein (0.06 mmol/L, 95 % CI: 0.00–0.12, p < 0.05). The subgroup analysis showed multidisciplinary collaboration was more effective in reducing cardiovascular risk factors when it comprised team members from a number of different disciplines, combined pharmacological and non-pharmacological components, included both face-to-face and remote interactions and was implemented in high-income countries.

Conclusion

Multidisciplinary collaborative care is associated with reduced cardiovascular risk factors among patients with diabetes in primary care. Further studies need to be conducted to determine the optimal team composition.