Effectiveness of Continuous Glucose Monitoring  

Multiple research studies confirm the effectiveness of continuous glucose monitoring

Randomized controlled trials have demonstrated: 

• Decreased HbA1C  
• Decreased glycemic variability  
• Increased time in range  
• Decreased time in hypoglycemia  
• Reduction in hypoglycemic events  

Results from the three-year follow-up to the COMISAIR Study, which were published in Diabetes Care in January 2020, demonstrated that CGM is superior to self-monitoring of fingerstick glucose in reduction of HbA1c, hypoglycemia and other end points in people with type 1 diabetes regardless of their insulin delivery method. They went on to say that CGM plus multiple daily insulin injections can be considered an equivalent but lower-cost alternative to sensor-augmented insulin pump therapy and superior to treatment with self-monitoring of fingerstick glucose plus multiple daily insulin injections or self-monitoring of fingerstick glucose plus continuous subcutaneous insulin infusion therapy.

Published in Diabetes Technology & Therapeutics in 2019, Mulinacci et al⁷ investigated the efficacy and safety of CGM initiation within one year of type 1 diabetes diagnosis among all age groups. They concluded that “Irrespective of insulin delivery system, early initiation of CGM within one year from T1D diagnosis was associated with better glucose control and fewer diabetes-related emergency visits.”  

Many studies have been performed with multiple populations and different device types: people with type 1 and type 2 diabetes, adults and children, personal and professional CGM. Dr. Anne Peters, Endocrinologist at the Keck School of Medicine at University of Southern California, provided a detailed review of CGM studies and outcomes in the Role of Continuous Glucose Monitoring in Diabetes Treatment supplement published by the American Diabetes Association (Chart used by permission, American Diabetes Association, 2018).

References: 

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^{7. Hermanns N, Schumann B, Kulzer B, Haak T. The impact of continuous glucose monitoring on low interstitial glucose values and low blood glucose values assessed by point-of-care blood glucose meters: results of a crossover trial. J Diabetes Sci Technol 2014;8:516–522}

^{8. van Beers CA, DeVries JH, Smits MM, et al. Continuous glucose monitoring for patients with type 1 diabetes and impaired awareness of hypoglycaemia (IN CONTROL): a randomised, open-label, crossover trial. Lancet Diabetes Endocrinol 2016;4:893–902}

^{9. Battelino T, Conget I, Olsen B, et al.; SWITCH Study Group. The use and efficacy of continuous glucose monitoring in type 1 diabetes treated with insulin pump therapy: a randomised controlled trial. Diabetologia 2012;55:3155– 3162}

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^{11. Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation Continuous Glucose Monitoring Study Group. Continuous glucose monitoring and intensive treatment of type 1 diabetes. N Engl J Med 2008:359;1464–1476}

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