Is the relationship between adherence behaviours and glycaemic control bi-directional at adolescence? A longitudinal cohort study

Aim To analyse the change in adherence to diabetes treatment and its association with metabolic control from childhood to adolescence. The Tanner pubertal staging model was selected as a marker of developmental maturity. Methods In a multicentre, longitudinal cohort study, 142 children with Type 1 diabetes completed a scale that assessed adherence to treatment and a test of diabetes knowledge at the beginning of the study (T0) and four years later (T4). HbA1c and clinical data were collected at T0 and at T4. Results From T0 to T4, the mean HbA1c increased from 8.2 ± 1.6 to 9.1 ± 1.4% (P