There’s a Better Way Than Finger Prick to Monitor Diabetes
One of the unpleasant adjustments diabetes
patients must get accustomed to is regular finger pricks as a means to
monitor blood sugar levels. A new study suggests that there is a more
efficient and painless way to monitor diabetes. The clinical trial
published in the Journal of American Medical Association (JAMA) found
that the use of a real-time glucose monitor helps patients manage their
condition better in the long term.
Over the course of 8 months, the
researchers followed 175 diabetes patients who used a continuous glucose
monitor (CGM) instead of a standard blood glucose meter. During this
time, the group’s overall hemoglobin A1C levels dropped by 1.1 percent.
The blood sugar of participants using a lancet, on the other hand, only
dropped by 0.16 percent. Remarkably, the group using continuous glucose
monitors spent an average of 3.8 hours more each day within the optimal
range of blood sugar and 3.6 hours less in the dangerous high-glucose
range.
This study is among the first ones to focus on type 2 diabetes patients
who use basal insulin, the long-lasting variety which is taken once or
twice a day. Earlier research had shown that the monitors improved
glucose control for patients with type 1 diabetes as well.
CG monitors are to become the new standard, according to the study
Along with testing the functionality of
continuous glucose monitoring, the team also looked at the impact these
devices have on patients’ quality of life and how they aid in the
management of their condition. With the help of a continuous monitor,
participants were better able to manage their blood sugar levels
throughout the day. As a result, life satisfaction scores increased as
well.
A CGM works through a tiny sensor inserted under your skin, usually on
your stomach or arm. The sensor measures your interstitial glucose
level, which is the glucose found in the fluid between the cells. The
sensor tests glucose every few minutes, and a transmitter wirelessly
sends the information to a monitor.
“For me, what’s most exciting is that this work demonstrates that using
continuous glucose monitoring is effective in substantially improving
blood sugars levels and decreasing the risks of hypoglycemia in those
that were randomized to use a continuous glucose monitor compared with
the usual finger-prick,” said one of the authors of the study, Rodica
Busui, M.D., Ph.D., vice chair of clinical research at Michigan Health’s
Department of Internal Medicine, in a university release.
Busui added that he and his team hope that this game-changing technology
soon becomes available to all patients with diabetes.