Reducing Inpatient Hypoglycemia in the General Wards Using Real-time Continuous Glucose Monitoring: The Glucose Telemetry System, a Randomized Clinical Trial
Lakshmi G. Singh, Medha Satyarengga, Isabel Marcano, William H. Scott, Lillian F. Pinault, Zhaoyong Feng, John D. Sorkin, Guillermo E. Umpierrez, Elias K. Spanakis
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Use of real-time continuous glucose monitoring (RT-CGM) systems in the inpatient setting is considered investigational. The objective of this study was to evaluate whether RT-CGM, using the glucose telemetry system (GTS), can prevent hypoglycemia in the general wards. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS In a randomized clinical trial, insulin-treated patients with type 2 diabetes at high risk for hypoglycemia were recruited. Participants were randomized to RT-CGM/GTS or point-of-care (POC) blood glucose testing. The primary outcome was difference in inpatient hypoglycemia. RESULTS Seventy-two participants were included in this interim analysis, 36 in the RT-CGM/GTS group and 36 in the POC group. The RT-CGM/GTS group experienced fewer hypoglycemic events (<70 mg/dL) per patient (0.67 [95% CI 0.34–1.30] vs. 1.69 [1.11–2.58], P = 0.024), fewer clinically significant hypoglycemic events (<54 mg/dL) per patient (0.08 [0.03–0.26] vs. 0.75 [0.51–1.09], P = 0.003), and a lower percentage of time spent below range <70 mg/dL (0.40% [0.18–0.92%] vs. 1.88% [1.26–2.81%], P = 0.002) and <54 mg/dL (0.05% [0.01–0.43%] vs. 0.82% [0.47–1.43%], P = 0.017) compared with the POC group. No differences in nocturnal hypoglycemia, time in range 70–180 mg/dL, and time above range >180–250 mg/dL and >250 mg/dL were found between the groups. The RT-CGM/GTS group had no prolonged hypoglycemia compared with 0.20 episodes <54 mg/dL and 0.40 episodes <70 mg/dL per patient in the POC group. CONCLUSIONS RT-CGM/GTS can decrease hypoglycemia among hospitalized high-risk insulin-treated patients with type 2 diabetes.