Background

Continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) is an emerging technology with promise to improve the intensive management of type 1 diabetes. The advent of continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) in diabetes care has allowed access and recording of continuous interstitial glucose data not possible with traditional self monitored blood glucose (SMBG).

Aim

The aim of this study is to evaluate the potential benefits of CGM in the management of adults with type 1 diabetes. This study was designed to determine if CGM helps in reduction of HbA1c.

Methods

This is a retrospective study looking at 50 adults aged between 16 to 75 years old with type 1 diabetes mellitus who had received seven days of continuous blood glucose monitoring.  There was no restriction on the baseline HbA1c. The primary outcome was the change in HbA1c at 3 months and 6 months later.

Results

There were 19 males and 31 females in this study with mean age 49 and median age of 38. The mean fasting blood glucose was 9.5  2.5 whereas the day time and evening blood glucose were 11.0 mmol/l respectively. The mean HbA1c before CGM was 9.0  1.6%.  There was a clear improvement in the HbA1c after CGM during the follow up visit with mean HbA1c of 8.7  1.4 %( p value= 0.04) and 8.6  1.2 % ( p value = 0.02)  at 3 months and 6 months respectively.  There was a clear association between HbA1c before and improvement in HbA1c. Those with higher HbA1c had more significant improvement with r ² 0.411 p < 0.001.

Conclusion

This study suggests that CBM is beneficial for adults with type 1 diabetes especially those with poor glycaemic control.