Impact of transitioning from conventional blood glucose monitoring to continuous glucose monitoring on glycemic control and self-management in adults with type 2 diabetes on oral glucose-lowering medications.

BACKGROUND

Despite advances, glycemic control in people with type 2 diabetes (PwT2D) treated with oral antidiabetic medications (ADMs) often remains suboptimal. Continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) has shown promise in diabetes management, offering real-time insights into glucose trends. This study evaluates the impact of transitioning from conventional self-monitoring of blood glucose (SMBG) to CGM on glycemic outcomes and self-management in PwT2D receiving oral ADMs.

METHODS

In this prospective study, 108 PwT2D managed with oral ADMs were enrolled. Participants transitioned from conventional SMBG to the FreeStyle Libre 2 CGM system for 12 weeks. Clinical, metabolic, and glycemic parameters, alongside patient-reported outcomes assessed by the Impact of Glucose Monitoring on Self-Management Scale (IGMSS), were recorded at baseline and study endpoint.

RESULTS

CGM use was associated with significant improvement across multiple glycemic and self-management metrics. Over 12 weeks, HbA1c decreased from 7.93 % to 7.31 % (p < 0.001), and mean capillary glucose levels decreased from 191 mg/dL to 180 mg/dL (p < 0.001). Time in range reached 70 % (SD = 6.86). Self-management, as measured by the IGMSS, improved-with Capability scores rising from 16.1 to 30.3, Opportunity from 19.8 to 35, and Motivation from 12.3 to 23.3 (all p < 0.001). The scale score increased from 42 to 75.6 (p < 0.001). Additionally, longer diabetes duration (p = 0.024) and more frequent SMBG (p = 0.012) were associated with lower endpoint IGMSS scores, whereas the presence of co-morbidities was linked to higher scores (p = 0.03).

CONCLUSION

Switching from conventional SMBG to CGM significantly improved glycemic control and self-management in PwT2D treated with oral ADMs. This observation highlights the potential for broader integration of CGM into this population.