Remote glucose monitoring in camp setting reduces the risk of prolonged nocturnal hypoglycemia

Diabetes Technol Ther. 2014 Jan;16(1):1-7. doi: 10.1089/dia.2013.0139. Epub 2013 Oct 29.

Abstract

Objective: This study tested the feasibility and effectiveness of remote continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) in a diabetes camp setting.

Subjects and methods: Twenty campers (7-21 years old) with type 1 diabetes were enrolled at each of three camp sessions lasting 5-6 days. On alternating nights, 10 campers were randomized to usual wear of a Dexcom (San Diego, CA) G4™ PLATINUM CGM system, and 10 were randomized to remote monitoring with the Dexcom G4 PLATINUM communicating with the Diabetes Assistant, a cell phone platform, to allow wireless transmission of CGM values. Up to 15 individual graphs and sensor values could be displayed on a single remote monitor or portable tablet. An alarm was triggered for values <70 mg/dL, and treatment was given for meter-confirmed hypoglycemia. The primary end point was to decrease the duration of hypoglycemic episodes <50 mg/dL.

Results: There were 320 nights of CGM data and 197 hypoglycemic events. Of the remote monitoring alarms, 79% were true (meter reading of <70 mg/dL). With remote monitoring, 100% of alarms were responded to, whereas without remote monitoring only 54% of alarms were responded to. The median duration of hypoglycemic events <70 mg/dL was 35 min without remote monitoring and 30 min with remote monitoring (P=0.078). Remote monitoring significantly decreased prolonged hypoglycemic events, eliminating all events <50 mg/dL lasting longer than 30 min as well as all events <70 mg/dL lasting more than 2 h.

Conclusions: Remote monitoring is feasible at diabetes camps and effective in reducing the risk of prolonged nocturnal hypoglycemia. This technology will facilitate forthcoming studies to evaluate the efficacy of automated closed-loop systems in the camp setting.

Trial registration: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT01680653.

Publication types

  • Randomized Controlled Trial
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Biosensing Techniques
  • Blood Glucose / metabolism*
  • Blood Glucose Self-Monitoring
  • Calibration
  • Camping
  • Cell Phone
  • Child
  • Diabetes Mellitus, Type 1 / blood*
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Hypoglycemia / blood*
  • Hypoglycemia / prevention & control
  • Male
  • Monitoring, Ambulatory* / methods
  • Monitoring, Physiologic* / methods
  • Telemedicine*
  • Young Adult

Substances

  • Blood Glucose

Associated data

  • ClinicalTrials.gov/NCT01680653