Hypoglycaemia Awareness Restoration Programme

Insulin treatment for type 1 diabetes inevitably carries risk of hypoglycaemia (low blood sugar) which can be severe enough to cause coma, seizure, even death. Being unable to feel when blood glucose is falling, a condition called impaired awareness of hypoglycaemia (IAH), increases risk of severe hypoglycaemia 6-fold. IAH can be reversed and risk of severe hypoglycaemia reduced when people are taught how to adjust their insulin around their life-styles through structured education but problematic hypoglycaemia may persist. Many people with apparently intractable IAH and recurrent severe hypoglycaemia have thoughts about hypoglycaemia that form barriers to their ability to avoid hypoglycaemia. They cannot benefit from conventional treatments to reduce hypoglycaemia. The investigators developed the Hypoglycaemia Awareness Restoration Programme for people with type 1 diabetes and problematic hypoglycaemia despite otherwise optimised self-care (HARPdoc), a novel intervention that combines revision of knowledge about hypoglycaemia avoidance with psychological therapies that directly address unhelpful health beliefs about hypoglycaemia. HARPdoc is delivered over six weeks, by diabetes educators to groups of 6 people. In a pilot study, severe hypoglycaemia was greatly reduced in 23 people with very longstanding IAH and recurrent severe hypoglycaemia. The investigators propose a group-randomised controlled trial of HARPdoc, comparing it to an established educational intervention (Blood Glucose Awareness Training, BGAT) which has also been shown to reduce severe hypoglycaemia. 96 people with type 1 diabetes and problematic hypoglycaemia persisting despite otherwise optimised insulin self-management will be recruited into groups which will be randomised to receive either HARPdoc or BGAT, in 4 centres. The investigators will measure severe hypoglycaemia over two years following courses; hypoglycaemia risk and experience; overall diabetes control and quality of life.