Impact of CGM on the Management of Hypoglycemia Problems: Overview and Secondary Analysis of the HypoDE Study

Abstract

Hypoglycemia remains the limiting factor of near-normal glucose control in people with diabetes using insulin therapy. Continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) may be able to avoid hypoglycemia and support the management of hypoglycemia problems in clinical care. Real-time continuous glucose monitoring (rtCGM) systems provide alerts if certain predetermined hypo- or hyperglycemic thresholds are exceeded. The combination of rtCGM systems with insulin pumps allows insulin delivery to be suspended if glucose falls below certain predefined thresholds. This might also support avoidance of hypoglycemia. More sophisticated closed-loop systems allow a semiautomatic insulin dosage, which also have the potential for the prevention of hypoglycemia. In this overview, we discuss and illustrate (1) the efficacy of CGM for intervention in people with hypoglycemia problems and for the avoidance of biochemical as well as clinical hypoglycemia; (2) the potential of CGM technology for the identification of people with diabetes who are at risk for hypoglycemia problems; and (3) the implications of the current state of the art for future research regarding CGM and hypoglycemia. As an example, how rtCGM data can facilitate identification of people with diabetes and an elevated risk of hypoglycemia, a secondary analysis of the HypoDE data is presented. We conclude that CGM technology can assist in the reliable identification of people with diabetes who are at risk for hypoglycemia problems, is a powerful intervention for the avoidance of mild as well as severe hypoglycemia, and can also stimulate research on the course of hypoglycemia problems.