To evaluate the effects of the FreeStyle Libre system and conventional SMBG on glycaemic control in non-insulin-treated type 2 diabetes patients.
Wada et al. 2020
Evaluating FreeStyle Libre system₼ in non-insulin-treated
type 2 diabetes
FreeStyle Libre system₼ vs. self-monitoring on glycaemic control in non-insulin-treated type 2 diabetes1
Flash glucose monitoring has previously been shown to reduce hypoglycaemia and glycated haemoglobin compared with self-monitoring of blood glucose (SMBG) with conventional finger-pricking method in patients with type 1 and type 2 diabetes treated with insulin.2-9
In this study Wada et al. reported findings from a randomised controlled trial (RCT) that compared the effects of the FreeStyle Libre flash glucose monitoring system with SMBG, in patients with non-insulin-treated type 2 diabetes.1
Study objective
Study design and study population
The Wada et al. 2020 study was a 24-week, multicentre, open-label RCT that enrolled participants from five hospitals in Japan, between July 4, 2017 and November 19, 2018.
Participants (≥20 and ≤70 years of age) were randomly assigned (1:1) to either the intervention group (flash glucose monitoring) or the control group (SMBG).
Participants received their device for the first 12-weeks of the study. Participants, along with the investigators and study staff, were not masked to the group allocation.
Fasting laboratory data, weight, blood pressure and changes in diabetes medication were collected for both groups at baseline, 12 weeks and 24 weeks. The Diabetes Treatment Satisfaction Questionnaire (DTSQ) was used at baseline and at 12 weeks to assess patient satisfaction with diabetes treatment.
Key Inclusion criteria†
Key Inclusion criteria†- Type 2 diabetes
- HbA1c ≥7.5 % (164 mg/dL) and <8.5 % (197 mg/dL)
Key Exclusion criteria†
Key Exclusion criteria†- Treated with insulin
- Previous use of SMBG or FreeStyle Libre
Study results
Key patient baseline characteristics
Of the 100 randomized participants, 49 were assigned to the flash glucose monitoring group and 51 were assigned to the SMBG group. 48 and 45 patients from the flash glucose monitoring group and the SMBG group, respectively, completed the study and were included in the endpoint analysis. There were no significant between-group differences in baseline characteristics.
Table 1: Table of the baseline demographic and clinical characteristics.
sd, standard deviation.
Figure 1– Graph showing change in glycated haemoglobin (HbA1c).
Table 2: Glycaemic outcomes and DTSQ scores
*MAGE: Mean amplitude of glycaemic excursions
Study limitations
- The study did not evaluate lifestyle changes in participants enrolled.
- The antidiabetic drugs were not fixed during the 24-week long study period.
- Because FreeStyle Libre sensors were not worn at 24 weeks, the details about glucose variability at this point were not certain.
- Because the research period was only 24 weeks, it remained unclear whether the improvement in glycaemic control with the FreeStyle Libre system lasts beyond the observational period.
Summary
In a RCT conducted by Wada et al. in 2020, use of the FreeStyle Libre system was associated with a significant improvement in glycaemic control and treatment satisfaction compared with SMBG in patients with non-insulin-treated type 2 diabetes.
- The FreeStyle Libre system significantly reduced HbA1c levels, mean glucose levels, and time in hyperglycaemia compared with SMBG
- The FreeStyle Libre system increased DTSQ scores compared with SMBG
- The improvement in glycaemic control using the FreeStyle Libre system persisted even after discontinuation of glucose monitoring for 12 weeks
₼ Sales of the original FreeStyle Libre system has been discontinued in EU & UK markets. In these markets, the FreeStyle Libre 2 and 3 systems are for sale, providing the same benifits as the original FreeStyle Libre system, with the added functionalities of optional Real-Time Alarams.
†A full list of inclusion/exclusion criteria can be found at Wada et al., 2020
References
- Wada E, et al. Flash glucose monitoring helps achieve better glycaemic control than conventional self-monitoring of blood glucose in non-insulin-treated type 2 diabetes: a randomized controlled trial. BMJ Open Diabetes Res Care. 2020;8(1).
- Bolinder J, et al. Novel glucose-sensing technology and hypoglycaemia in type 1 diabetes: a multicentre, non-masked, randomised controlled trial. Lancet. 2016;388(10057): 2254-2263.
- Dover AR, et al. Flash Glucose Monitoring Improves Outcomes in a Type 1 Diabetes Clinic. J Diabetes Sci Technol. 2017;11(2): 442-443.
- Kramer G, et al. Association between Flash Glucose Monitoring and Metabolic Control as well as Treatment Satisfaction in Outpatients With Diabetes Type 1. Exp Clin Endocrinol Diabetes. 2021;129(4): 303-308.
- Tyndall V, et al. Marked improvement in HbA1c following commencement of flash glucose monitoring in people with type 1 diabetes. Diabetologia. 2019;62(8): 1349-1356.
- Paris I, et al. The new FreeStyle libre flash glucose monitoring system improves the glycaemic control in a cohort of people with type 1 diabetes followed in real-life conditions over a period of one year. Endocrinol Diabetes Metab. 2018;1(3): e00023.
- Haak T, et al. Flash Glucose-Sensing Technology as a Replacement for Blood Glucose Monitoring for the Management of Insulin-Treated Type 2 Diabetes: a Multicenter, Open-Label Randomized Controlled Trial. Diabetes Ther. 2017;8(1): 55-73.
- Yaron M, et al. Effect of Flash Glucose Monitoring Technology on Glycaemic Control and Treatment Satisfaction in Patients With Type 2 Diabetes. Diabetes Care. 2019;42(7): 1178-1184.
- Ajjan RA, Jackson N, Thomson SA. Reduction in HbA1c using professional flash glucose monitoring in insulin-treated type 2 diabetes patients managed in primary and secondary care settings: A pilot, multicentre, randomised controlled trial. Diab Vasc Dis Res. 2019;16(4): 385-395.
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