Continuous Glucose Monitoring Reduces Costs, Hypoglycemia Concerns

BOSTON — Continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) may reduce frequency of self-monitoring of blood glucose (SMBG), hospital/paramedic visits and worries about hypoglycemia in patients with diabetes, according to two studies presented at the American Diabetes Association 75th Scientific Sessions in Boston.

In one study, the researchers studied participants frequently using CGM and assessed changes in SMBG frequency and emergency hospitalizations/paramedic visits. The study included 74 participants treated with intensive insulin therapy.

Each participant completed a survey with 16 items that asked about their frequency of CGM use and primary reasons for use.

The results indicated that 58 participants (78.3%) used CGM on most days. Compared with prior use, participants reported a 50.0% reduction in average number of daily blood glucose tests after 1 year of CGM use. Additionally, participants reported an 85.7% reduction in emergency hospitalizations/paramedic visits for hypoglycemia after 1 year of CGM use compared with prior use.

“Test strip use went from 6.4 a day down to 3.2 tests per day, which obviously has implications, potentially, for big cost savings,” researcher James Chamberlain, MD, of St. Mark’s Hospital in Salt Lake City, told Endocrinology Advisor.

In the second study, the researchers surveyed the participants about their concerns surrounding hypoglycemia after using CGM frequently for 1 year. Prior to 1 year using CGM, 45 (77.6%) of 74 participants said they worried about hypoglycemia “most of the time,” and 25 (43.1%) said they worried “frequently.”

After using CGM for a year, no respondents said that they worried about hypoglycemia “most of the time” and only one (1.7%) said they worried “frequently.” This represents a 97.8% decrease.

“[They] almost completely eliminated significant worry about hypoglycemia with frequent CGM use,” said Chamberlain.

The researchers believe that frequent CGM use has significant implications for both saving money and improving quality of life.