CGMs Lower Hospitalizations for T2D Patients - New Research Shows

I had the opportunity to attend the EASD Conference where I heard about recent research on the benefits of Continuous Glucose Monitors (CGMs) for managing type 2 diabetes. Funded by Roche, the study indicates that CGMs directly reduce hospitalizations and improve glucose control.

While it’s no mystery that avoiding hospitalization saves money, I was surprised to learn that hospital stays for people with type 2 can cost five times more compared to those who don’t have diabetes. This research and cost analysis may be key to expanding insurance coverage for CGMs to help manage type 2 diabetes.

Key Findings from the Study

Conducted using data from Optum’s de-identified electronic medical records, the study analyzed 75,000 CGM users among a pool of over 79 million people. Participants had type 2 diabetes with A1C levels between 7% and 15%. The research tracked data six months before and 360 days after CGM usage.

The participants were divided into three groups:

• Non-Insulin Therapy: 25,269 people with T2D not currently using insulin.

• Basal Insulin Therapy: 16,264 people using only basal insulin.

• Intensive Insulin Therapy: 33,146 people using insulin for basal and bolus.

The study revealed significant reductions in all-cause hospitalizations and emergency room visits across all therapy groups. Wearing a CGM reduced hospitalizations by 10% for the non-insulin therapy group, 14% for the basal insulin therapy group, and 31% for the intensive insulin therapy group.

Additionally, acute diabetes-related hospitalizations were notably lower, with the non-insulin therapy group showing a 31% reduction, the basal insulin therapy group at 48%, and intensive insulin therapy group achieving a remarkable 52% decrease. The below images offer a closer look at the data.

CGMs improved glycemic control – go figure! 

Alongside hospitalization data, glycemic control outcomes showed promise. The same cohort exhibited a ~1% reduction in A1C levels after three months of CGM use, sustained over nine months. The study accounted for participants who were using medications such as GLP-1s, Sulfonylureas, Metformin, and SGLT-2s.

@diabe_tech

Lingo is a continuous glucose monitor for people WITHOUT diabetes. What do you think? #cgm #biosensor

CGMs for Type 1 Diabetes

While the research primarily targeted type 2 diabetes, it also raises questions about the applicability of CGMs for type 1 diabetes management.

This study could encourage insurance companies to cover CGMs for more people with diabetes to save money in the long run. Researchers will release more data about the financial impact of CGMs soon - which could be used for a cost analysis. 

When all the data is published, the American Diabetes Association will likely use them when creating the next Standards of Medical Care in Diabetes. To hear more about the research and tech innovations I saw at this year’s EASD, watch the video below.

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