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A study published in JAMA Network Open suggests that sustained use of real-time continuous glucose monitoring (rtCGM) may improve long-term glycemic control and reduce markers of kidney damage in high-risk adults with poorly controlled type 2 diabetes. Researchers analyzed 25,648 patients in the Kaiser Permanente Northern California system, including 2,771 who initiated rtCGM and 22,877 controls who did not use CGM. Participants had a mean baseline hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) of 9.5%. After 1 year, rtCGM use was associated with a 1.1 percentage point lower HbA1c compared with controls. At 3 years, the difference remained significant, with HbA1c averaging 7.83% among rtCGM users compared with 8.58% among controls. Sustained rtCGM use was also associated with a 125 mg/g lower urinary albumin-creatinine ratio after 3 years, suggesting potential kidney benefits.
Improved outcomes: The researchers examined 3 primary outcomes—hemoglobin A1c, urinary albumin-creatinine ratio, and estimated glomerular filtration rate—and concluded that continued rtCGM use may help delay worsening glycemic control and potentially slow diabetic kidney disease progression in high-risk adults. Most continuous CGM systems currently prescribed in the United States are real-time devices, so patients have the advantage of accessing their data almost anytime on their smartphones.