TOPLINE:
However, significant proportions also reported concerns about accuracy under certain circumstances and about skin problems.
METHODOLOGY:
Researchers did an online survey of 504 people with type 1 diabetes from the T1D Exchange and 101 with type 2 diabetes from the Dynata database.
TAKEAWAY:
- The Dexcom G6 device was used by 60.7% of all current CGM users, including 69% of those with type 1 diabetes vs. 12% with type 2 diabetes.
- People with type 2 diabetes were more likely to use older Dexcom versions (G4/G5) (32%) or Abbott’s FreeStyle Libre systems (35%).
- Overall, 90% agreed that most sensors were accurate, but just 79% and 78%, respectively, were satisfied with sensor performance on the first and last day of wear.
- Moreover, 42% suspected variations in accuracy from sensor to sensor, and 32% continue to perform finger-stick monitoring more than six times a week.
- Individuals with type 2 diabetes were more likely than those with type 1 diabetes to be concerned about poor sensor performance affecting confidence in making diabetes management decisions (52% vs. 19%).
- Over half reported skin reactions and/or pain with the sensors (53.7% and 55.4%, respectively).
- Concerns about medications affecting sensor accuracy were more common among those with type 2 vs. type 1 diabetes (65% vs. 29%).
- Among overall concerns about substances or situations affecting sensor accuracy, the top choice (47%) was dehydration (despite a lack of supportive published literature), followed by pain medications (43%), cold/flu medications (32%), and coffee (24%).
- Inaccurate/false alarms negatively affected daily life for 36% of participants and diabetes management for 34%.
IN PRACTICE:
“CGM is a game-changing technology and has evolved in the past decade to overcome many technical and usability obstacles. Our survey suggests that there remain areas for further improvement ... Mistrust in CGM performance was more common than expected.”
SOURCE:
The study was done by Elizabeth Holt, of LifeScan, and colleagues. It was published in Clinical Diabetes.
LIMITATIONS:
- The databases used to recruit study participants may not be representative of the entire respective patient populations.
- Exercise wasn’t given as an option for affecting CGM accuracy, which might partly explain the dehydration finding.
DISCLOSURES:
Funding for this study and preparation of the manuscript were provided by LifeScan Inc. Two authors are LifeScan employees, and two others currently work for the T1D Exchange.
A version of this article first appeared on Medscape.com.