Short-term continuous glucose monitoring: effects on glucose and treatment satisfaction in patients with type 1 diabetes mellitus; a randomized controlled trial.
Objective:  To assess whether 4 week's use of a continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) system improves glucose control, treatment satisfaction or health status, as compared to intensified conventional finger-prick measurements (ICFM) in patients with type 1 diabetes mellitus (DM1). Method:  Thirty patients suffering from DM1 for more than three years and treated with either insulin pumps or multiple daily insulin injections, were included in a randomised controlled cross-over trial. They were Caucasians of both genders, between 18 and 50 years, and had moderately well controlled diabetes. The participants performed either ICFM or CGM for 4 weeks, followed by an 8 week's observation period. Thereafter they were crossed over to the opposite intervention. HbA(1c) , hypoglycaemic episodes, treatment satisfaction and health status were assessed at all meetings, although HbA(1c)  was the primary endpoint. Results:  At inclusion mean HbA(1c)  was 7.8 ± 0.9 %. The mean change in HbA(1c)  was -0.2 ± 0.1% and -0.2 ± 0.1% for the CGM and the ICFM periods, accordingly (p = 0.91). The mean changes in HbA(1c)  during the combined treatment and observation periods were -0.1 ± 0.1% and -0.2 ± 0.1% for the CGM and the ICFM period, accordingly (p = 0.86). The frequency of severe hypoglycaemic episodes, treatment satisfaction and health status was also equal between the two interventions. No adverse events were observed.
Faculty of Medicine             Unit for Applied Clinical Research, Department of Cancer research and Molecular Medicine, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway             Department of Endocrinology, St. Olavs Hospital, Trondheim University Hospital, Trondheim, Norway.
L B L
LB
Langeland
O
O
Salvesen
H
H
Selle
S M
SM
Carlsen
K J
KJ
Fougner