Minimizing Glucose Excursions (Gem) With Continuous Glucose Monitoring In Type 2 Diabetes: A Randomized Clinical Trial

This study aimed to compare conventional medication management of type 2 diabetes (T2D) to medication management in conjunction with a lifestyle intervention using continuous glucose monitoring to minimize glucose excursions.Thirty adults (63% female; mean age, 53.3 years) who were diagnosed with T2D for less than 11 years (mean, 5.6 years), had glycated A(1c) (HbA(1c)) >= 7.0% (51 mmol/mol) (mean 8.8%, [73 mmol/mol]), and were not using insulin, were randomly assigned in a 1:2 ratio to routine care (RC) or 4 group sessions of glycemic excursion minimization plus real-time CGM (GEM(CGM)). Assessments at baseline and 5 months included a physical exam, metabolic and lipid panels, a review of diabetes medications, and psychological questionnaires. For the week following assessments, participants wore a blinded activity monitor and completed 3 days of 24-hour dietary recall. A subgroup also wore a blinded CGM. GEM(CGM) participants significantly improved HbA(1c) (from 8.9% to 7.6% [74-60 mmol/mol] compared with 8.8% to 8.7% [73-72 mmol/mol] for RC (P = .03). Additionally, GEM(CGM) reduced the need for diabetes medication (P = .01), reduced carbohydrate consumption (P = .009), and improved diabetes knowledge (P = .001), quality of life (P =.01) and diabetes distress (P = .02), and trended to more empowerment (P = .05) without increasing dietary fat, lipids, or hypoglycemia. Confirming our prior research, GEM(CGM) appears to be a safe, effective lifestyle intervention option for adults with suboptimally controlled T2D who do not take insulin.