Impact of Frequent and Persistent Use of Continuous Glucose Monitoring (CGM) on Hypoglycemia Fear, Frequency of Emergency Medical Treatment, and SMBG Frequency after One Year

Abstract

Background: We assessed the impact of "almost daily" use of continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) in adults with type 1 diabetes who had at least 1 year of CGM experience. Methods: In this single-center survey, we utilized a 16-item questionnaire to assess changes hypoglycemia fear, incidence of emergency medical treatment and utilization of self-monitoring of blood glucose (SMBG) before and after 1 year of CGM use. Participation was restricted to individuals who used the same brand of CGM system to avoid confounding responses due to differences between commercial devices. Participants were recruited on an "as-seen" basis from a major, urban internal medicine clinic and associated diabetes education center. The questionnaire was completed during the clinic visit. Responses to the survey were analyzed by standard descriptive statistics. Results: Seventy-four patients completed the survey: 42.9 years (range: 23-71 years), 38 (51%) female, 59 current insulin pump users. Most (84%) reported wearing their devices "almost daily" (n = 58) or 3 weeks per month (n = 4). "Almost daily" users reported an 86% reduction in incidence of emergency medical treatment events (P =.0013) and >50% reduction in daily SMBG frequency (P