AIMS

In 2016 intermittently scanned continuous glucose monitoring (isCGM) became the first reimbursed CGM system in Belgium. Many children with type 1 diabetes (T1D) treated with multiple daily injections as well as with continuous subcutaneous insulin infusion (CSII) switched from self-monitoring of blood glucose to isCGM to monitor their treatment. In 2017 the Enlite® real-time CGM (rtCGM) system was reimbursed enabling its use with the Minimed® 640G insulin pump with integrated SmartGuard technology. In this study we compared the metabolic control during CSII with isCGM with that during rtCGM. Patient's satisfaction and side effects of the rtCGM system were also evaluated.

METHODS

20 children with T1D, aged 5-16 years, were included. Metabolic control during the last month of isCGM use was compared to that during the 3rd and 6th month of rtCGM.

RESULTS

Three patients stopped early rtCGM mainly due to calibration burden. The HbA1c level and the mean glucose value in the other patients did not change after switching to the rtCGM system. Glucose variability was smaller (46.2% vs 38.4% and 36.4%, p = 0.000). Time in hypoglycemia (<70 mg/dl) was lower (7.4% vs 1.6% and 1.5%, p = 0.000). The main patient inconvenience was the sensor calibration.

CONCLUSIONS

Our data show that during Enlite® rtCGM with the Minimed® 640G pump system glucose variability was smaller and the patients spent less time in hypoglycemia than during isCGM. The need for timely calibrations is considered as the main drawback of the system.