Managing type 1 diabetes can be tricky. Many people rely on self-monitoring throughout the day by periodically testing their blood sugar and administering the proper dose of insulin as needed. Individuals with T1D often inject themselves with insulin multiple times per day. However, food, beverages, physical activity, illness, and other factors can all impact blood sugar levels making them more difficult to effectively manage.

But with advances in technology, continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) devices are now available to help those with T1D track and manage their blood sugar. These devices have a tiny sensor that is inserted under the skin which automatically measures blood glucose levels and transmits the information to a monitoring device. The system can also alert when blood sugar becomes too high or falls below a specified level allowing individuals to respond accordingly.

A recent study conducted across 12 diabetes centers in Germany aimed to determine whether the use of real-time CGM (rtCGM) systems could reduce the number and severity of incidences of hypoglycemia in patients with T1D who had a history of impaired hypoglycemia awareness or severe hypoglycemia within the previous 12 months. The study involved 149 participants, and 141 successfully completed the trial in its entirety.

All participants wore a masked rtCGM system for 28 days before being randomly assigned to one of two groups: the first group wore an unmasked rtCGM system for the next 26 weeks, and the second group was a control group that self-monitored blood glucose levels during this time. The results of the study found that the group that wore the rtCGM system had a 72% decrease in the number of hypoglycemic events (10.8 to 3.5 per 28 days), while the control group saw no significant reduction (14.4 to 13.7 per 28 days). Therefore, the rtCGM system was able to reduce the number of hypoglycemic events that occurred in individuals with a history of severe hypoglycemia or impaired hypoglycemia awareness.

The Diabetes Research Connection (DRC) is encouraged to see the difference these types of devices can make in the lives of individuals living with type 1 diabetes. It is through innovative research studies and technology development that these advances are possible. The DRC supports early career scientists in pursuing novel research geared toward diagnosing, treating, or curing T1D, as well as improving quality of life for those living with the disease. Learn more about the incredible projects that are taking place and find out how you can be a part of supporting these initiatives by visiting https://diabetesresearchconnection.org.