Continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) refers to a method of measuring the blood glucose level of people living with type 1 and type 2 diabetes.1 CGM is achieved by placing an electrochemical sensor under the patient’s skin, usually the arm or stomach, as a means of relaying information to an external receiving device such as a smartphone or a continuous subcutaneous insulin infusion device (CSII).
As the evolutionary trajectory of medical care leans towards personalized medicine, CGM is an example of such an approach.1 In tracking the glucose levels of a patient day and night, CGM enables providers to make patient-specific health care decisions based on the glycemic variability (GV) of the patient.1 The result of CGM within the given timeframe is visualized as an electronic CGM profile. The electronic CGM profile is a graph displaying glucose fluctuations(y-axis) over time(x-axis), coupled with a statistical summary (average glucose, glycemic estimate, glucose exposure, GV, hypoglycemic, and hyperglycemic episodes) These metrics provided by CGM aid in enhanced management of diabetes.
The American Diabetes Association (ADA) in their 2024 standards of medical care in diabetes recommend that CGM be considered for adults and younger patients with diabetes who need multiple insulin injections daily, are on basal insulin injections, or use a continuous subcutaneous insulin infusion system.1 It should be only considered in those who are able to operate the device safely.
The European association for the study of diabetes (EASD), the international society for the pediatric and adolescent diabetes (ISPAD) and the ADA have put out statements and guidelines on the use of CGM in type 1 diabetes.2,3
References
- Committee ADAPP. 7. Diabetes Technology: Standards of Care in Diabetes—2024. Diabetes Care. 2023;47(Supplement_1):S126-S144. doi:10.2337/dc24-S007
- Danne T, Nimri R, Battelino T, et al. International Consensus on Use of Continuous Glucose Monitoring. Diabetes Care. 2017;40(12):1631-1640. doi:10.2337/dc17-1600
- Moser O, Riddell MC, Eckstein ML, et al. Glucose management for exercise using continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) and intermittently scanned CGM (isCGM) systems in type 1 diabetes: position statement of the European Association for the Study of Diabetes (EASD) and of the International Society for Pediatric and Adolescent Diabetes (ISPAD) endorsed by JDRF and supported by the American Diabetes Association (ADA). Diabetologia. 2020/12/01 2020;63(12):2501-2520. doi:10.1007/s00125-020-05263-9
