Continuous glucose monitoring is a clinically valuable method to reduce the risks of low or high blood glucose levels and improve the quality of life for patients with diabetes. New research by a team from the LMC Diabetes & Endocrinology Practice shows that real-time continuous glucose monitoring (rtCGM) contributes to improved reduction in HbA1c compared with intermittently scanned CGM.
The hemoglobin A1c test (HbA1c) is an indication of average blood glucose levels over a period of 2 to 3 months. Individuals with diabetes rely on this test to see if their levels are within the recommended range. HbA1c also helps healthcare providers adjust the dose of medicines to treat diabetes.
In a retrospective observational study published in Diabetic Medicine, researchers observed that the study group with real-time continuous glucose monitoring (rtCGM) had better HbA1c results at 6 – 12 months than those in the intermittently scanned CGM group. The rtCGM group spent more time in the recommended glucose level range and also had less incidence of being below the glycemic range. Although both groups showed improved results, the rtCGM group had superior outcomes.
Researchers used data from the Canadian LMC Diabetes Registry. The study included individuals who fulfilled three conditions: 1) more than 12-month history of type 1 diabetes, 2) 18 years old or older, and 3) started using a real-time CGM device or an intermittently scanned CGM, or maintained conventional self-measured blood glucose between January 2018 and December 2020.
The results of this study amplify the claims regarding real-time continuous glucose monitoring in individuals with type1 diabetes, and point the way to help diabetic patients do better in maintaining health glucose levels.
