Effect of flash glucose monitoring in adults with type 1 diabetes: a nationwide, longitudinal observational study of 14,372 flash users compared with 7691 glucose sensor naive controls

Aims/hypothesis The aim of this work was to evaluate changes in glycaemic control (HbA 1c ) and rates of severe hypoglycaemia over a 2 year period after initiation of flash glucose monitoring (FM) in type 1 diabetes. Methods Using data from the Swedish National Diabetes Registry, 14,372 adults with type 1 diabetes with a new registration of FM during 2016–2017 and with continued FM for two consecutive years thereafter, and 7691 control individuals using conventional self-monitoring of blood glucose (SMBG) during the same observation period, were included in a cohort study. Propensity sores and inverse probability of treatment weighting (IPTW) were used to balance FM users with SMBG users. Changes in HbA 1c and events of severe hypoglycaemia were compared. Results After the start of FM, the difference in IPTW change in HbA 1c was slightly greater in FM users compared with the control group during the follow-up period, with an estimated mean absolute difference of −1.2 mmol/mol (−0.11%) (95% CI −1.64 [−0.15], −0.75 [−0.07]; p < 0.0001) after 15–24 months. The change in HbA 1c was greatest in those with baseline HbA 1c ≥70 mmol/mol (8.5%), with the estimated mean absolute difference being −2.5 mmol/mol (−0.23%) (95% CI −3.84 [−0.35], −1.18 [−0.11]; p = 0.0002) 15–24 months post index. The change was also significant in the subgroups with initial HbA 1c ≤52 mmol/mol (6.9%) and 53–69 mmol/mol (7.0–8.5%). Risk of severe hypoglycaemic episodes was reduced by 21% for FM users compared with control individuals using SMBG (OR 0.79 [95% CI 0.69, 0.91]; p = 0.0014)]. Conclusions/interpretation In this large cohort, the use of FM was associated with a small and sustained improvement in HbA 1c , most evident in those with higher baseline HbA 1c levels. In addition, FM users experienced lower rates of severe hypoglycaemic events compared with control individuals using SMBG for self-management of glucose control. Graphical abstract