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Effectiveness of Continuous Glucose Monitoring  

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How CGMs can improve glycemic control and overall quality of life.

Written by: ADCES staff and subject matter expert faculty

May 27, 2025

 

Multiple research studies confirm the effectiveness of continuous glucose monitoring

Randomized controlled trials have demonstrated: 

  • Decreased HbA1C  
  • Decreased glycemic variability  
  • Increased time in range  
  • Decreased time in hypoglycemia  
  • Reduction in hypoglycemic events  

Results from the three-year follow-up to the COMISAIR Study, which were published in Diabetes Care in January 2020, demonstrated that CGM is superior to self-monitoring of fingerstick glucose in reduction of HbA1c, hypoglycemia and other end points in people with type 1 diabetes regardless of their insulin delivery method. They went on to say that CGM plus multiple daily insulin injections can be considered an equivalent but lower-cost alternative to sensor-augmented insulin pump therapy and superior to treatment with self-monitoring of fingerstick glucose plus multiple daily insulin injections or self-monitoring of fingerstick glucose plus continuous subcutaneous insulin infusion therapy.

Published in Diabetes Technology & Therapeutics in 2019, Mulinacci et al7 investigated the efficacy and safety of CGM initiation within one year of type 1 diabetes diagnosis among all age groups. They concluded that “Irrespective of insulin delivery system, early initiation of CGM within one year from T1D diagnosis was associated with better glucose control and fewer diabetes-related emergency visits.”  

Many studies have been performed with multiple populations and different device types: people with type 1 and type 2 diabetes, adults and children, personal and professional CGM. Dr. Anne Peters, Endocrinologist at the Keck School of Medicine at University of Southern California, provided a detailed review of CGM studies and outcomes in the Role of Continuous Glucose Monitoring in Diabetes Treatment supplement published by the American Diabetes Association (Chart used by permission, American Diabetes Association, 2018).

 

 

References: 

  1. American Diabetes Association. Standards of Care in Diabetes—2024. Diabetes Care. 2024;47(Suppl. 1):S1-S350. https://diabetesjournals.org/care/issue/47/Supplement_1
  2. Battelino T, et al. Clinical Targets for Continuous Glucose Monitoring Data Interpretation: Recommendations from the International Consensus on Time in Range. Diabetes Care. 2019;42(8):1593–1603. https://doi.org/10.2337/dci19-0028
  3. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). Continuous Glucose Monitors (CGMs) – Coverage and Billing Guidelines. https://www.cms.gov
  4. Carlson AL, et al. Cost-Effectiveness of Continuous Glucose Monitoring in Patients With Type 2 Diabetes Using Basal Insulin. JAMA Network Open. 2021;4(8):e2118784. https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamanetworkopen/fullarticle/2783085
  5. Polonsky WH, et al. Patient Perspectives on CGM Use: Benefits, Barriers, and Behavioral Impact. Clinical Diabetes. 2020;38(3):234–242. https://doi.org/10.2337/cd20-0013
  6. U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA). Medical Device Databases: Continuous Glucose Monitoring Systems. https://www.fda.gov/medical-devices
  7. Aleppo G, et al. Practical Implementation of CGM: Recommendations for the Clinical Team. Diabetes Technology & Therapeutics. 2017;19(S2):S-1–S-20. https://doi.org/10.1089/dia.2017.0055

 

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