IQWiG Reanalyzes and Raises Questions About an Article by Ly et al Which Concluded Low Glucose Suspend Is Very Beneficial

Abstract

In 2013, Ly et al published a study in JAMA reporting a massive reduction in the frequency of severe hypoglycemic events when the patients used sensor augmented insulin pump therapy with low glucose suspense. The data of this study were reanalyzed by the IQWiG when this German institute started its evaluation of the evidence for continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) usage. The IQWiG came to a contrary conclusion than the authors of the Ly study. Decisive for this was the statistical analysis of the Ly study that led the IQWiG to evaluate this result as a lack of evidence for the superiority of CGM (plus pump) for preventing hypoglycemia. In this commentary, a direct English translation of the IQWiG analysis is provided to enable the reader to come to his or her own conclusion about this study.