Alarm Settings of Continuous Glucose Monitoring Systems and Associations to Glucose Outcomes in Type 1 Diabetes.

CONTEXT

Little evidence exists regarding the positive and negative impacts of continuous glucose monitor system (CGM) alarm settings for diabetes control in patients with type 1 diabetes (T1D).

OBJECTIVE

Evaluate the associations between CGM alarm settings and glucose outcomes.

DESIGN AND SETTING

A cross-sectional observational study in a single academic institution.

PATIENTS AND MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES

CGM alarm settings and 2-week CGM glucose information were collected from 95 T1D patients with > 3 months of CGM use and ≥ 86% active usage time. The associations between CGM alarm settings and glucose outcomes were analyzed.

RESULTS

Higher glucose thresholds for glycemia alarms (ie, ≥ 73 mg/dL vs < 73 mg/dL) were related to 51% and 65% less time with glucose < 70 and < 54 mg/dL, respectively ( = 0.005; = 0.016), higher average glucose levels ( = 0.002) and less time-in-range ( = 0.005), but not more hypoglycemia alarms. The optimal alarm threshold for < 1% of time in hypoglycemia was 75 mg/dL.Lower glucose thresholds for glycemia alarms (ie, ≤ 205 mg/dL vs > 205 mg/dL) were related to lower average glucose levels and 42% and 61% less time with glucose > 250 and > 320 mg/dL ( = 0.020, = 0.016, = 0.007, respectively), without more hypoglycemia. Lower alarm thresholds were also associated with more alarms ( < 0.0001). The optimal alarm threshold for < 5% of time in hyperglycemia and hemoglobin A1c ≤ 7% was 170 mg/dL.

CONCLUSIONS

Different CGM glucose thresholds for hypo/hyperglycemia alarms are associated with various hypo/hyperglycemic outcomes. Configurations to the hypo/hyperglycemia alarm thresholds could be considered as an intervention to achieve therapeutic goals.