Professor Kim Jae-hyun and Professor Kim Ji-yoon from the Endocrinology and Metabolism Department at Samsung Medical Center along with Dr. Kim Seo-hyun from Samsung Institute of Integrated Medical Science. /Courtesy of Samsung Medical Center

A study has found that real-time continuous glucose monitors are more effective than intermittent scanning glucose monitors for controlling blood sugar in patients with type 1 diabetes. Patients with type 1 diabetes cannot control their blood sugar because they lack insulin-secreting cells in the pancreas. This is often referred to as juvenile diabetes due to the high number of child patients. Treatment is done through insulin injections and monitoring blood sugar levels with measuring devices.

Samsung Medical Center noted on the 23rd that professors Kim Jae-hyun and Kim Ji-yoon from the Department of Endocrinology, Metabolism, and Dr. Kim Seo-hyun from the Samsung Institute for Convergence of Medicine and Science presented their analysis of the effects of continuous glucose monitors and intermittent scanning glucose monitors. The research findings were published in the official journal of the Korean Diabetes Association (DMJ) in February.

Real-time continuous glucose monitors attach a patch with fine needles under the skin of the arm or abdomen to analyze interstitial fluid every 5 minutes and transmit blood sugar readings to a smartphone. There is no need to puncture the finger for blood. Intermittent scanning glucose monitors require patients to draw blood and apply it directly to the sensor to check blood sugar levels.

The research team analyzed 7,786 type 1 diabetes patients who used continuous glucose monitors at least once between 2019 and 2022. Of these, 5,875 were adults and 1,911 were minors. They divided them into groups using real-time continuous glucose monitors and intermittent scanning glucose monitors and analyzed changes in glycated hemoglobin levels. Glycated hemoglobin is an indicator showing the average blood sugar over the past 2-3 months. A glycated hemoglobin level above 6.5% is diagnosed as diabetes.

As a result, patients using real-time continuous glucose monitors saw their glycated hemoglobin levels decrease from 8.9% to 7.1% in three months. Patients using intermittent scanning glucose monitors saw their levels drop from 8.6% to 7.5%. Particularly, minors using real-time continuous glucose monitors saw their glycated hemoglobin levels decrease from 10.1% to 7.2% in three months.

The research team explained that understanding blood sugar levels in real-time means management can be much more effective. However, a tendency for the effectiveness of blood sugar control to decline over time was observed. Professor Kim Jae-hyun stated, "Currently, continuous glucose monitors are only covered by health insurance for type 1 diabetes and gestational diabetes patients," adding that "institutional support needs to be expanded."

References

DMJ(2025), DOI : https://doi.org/10.4093/dmj.2024.0160