Effect of intermittently scanned continuous glucose monitoring in people with diabetes with a psychosocial indication for initiation

Abstract

AimTo understand the effect of intermittently scanned continuous glucose monitoring (isCGM) in people with diabetes with a ‘psychosocial’ indication for access.MethodsThe study utilized baseline and follow‐up data from the Association of British Clinical Diabetologists nationwide audit of people with diabetes in the UK. Diabetes‐related distress (DRD) was assessed using the two‐item diabetes‐related distress scale (DDS). Participants were categorized into two groups: high DRD (DDS score ≥ 3) and lower DRD (DDS score < 3). The t‐test was used to assess the difference in the pre‐ and post‐isCGM continuous variables.ResultsThe study consisted of 17 036 people with diabetes, with 1314 (7%) using isCGM for ‘psychosocial’ reasons. Follow‐up data were available for 327 participants, 322 (99%) of whom had type 1 diabetes with a median diabetes duration of 15 years; 75% (n = 241) had high levels of DRD. With the initiation of isCGM, after a mean follow‐up period of 6.9 months, there was a significant reduction in DDS score; 4 at baseline versus 2.5 at follow‐up (P < .001). The prevalence of high DRD reduced from 76% to 38% at follow‐up (50% reduction in DRD, P < .001). There was also a significant reduction in HbA1c (78.5 mmol/mol [9.3%] at baseline vs. 66.5 mmol/mol [8.2%] at follow‐up; P < .001). This group also experienced an 87% reduction in hospital admissions because of hyperglycaemia/diabetic ketoacidosis (P < .001).ConclusionPeople with diabetes who had isCGM initiated for a psychosocial indication had high levels of DRD and HbA1c, which improved with the use of isCGM.