CONTINUOUS GLUCOSE MONITORING VERSUS ROUTINE SELF-MONITORING ON TREATMENT ADHERENCE IN TYPE 2 DIABETES PATIENT
Keywords:
Adherence, Blood Glucose Self-Monitoring, Continuous Glucose Monitoring, Diabetes Mellitus Type 2, Glycated Hemoglobin A, Hypoglycemia, Patient Compliance, Self-Management, Treatment OutcomeAbstract
Background: Type 2 diabetes mellitus requires consistent self-management to maintain optimal glycemic control. Despite advances in therapy, poor adherence to blood glucose monitoring and medication remains a major challenge. Continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) provides real-time feedback, offering an alternative to routine self-monitoring of blood glucose (SMBG) through finger-prick testing. The impact of CGM on treatment adherence and metabolic outcomes in non–insulin-dependent patients, however, remains insufficiently explored.
Objective: To analyze whether real-time continuous glucose monitoring improves treatment adherence and glycemic outcomes compared with conventional self-monitoring in adults with type 2 diabetes.
Methods: A randomized controlled trial was conducted across tertiary care centers in South Punjab over six months. One hundred twenty adults with type 2 diabetes were randomly assigned to either CGM or SMBG groups (n = 60 each). Adherence was assessed using the Morisky Medication Adherence Scale (MMAS-8) and Diabetes Self-Management Questionnaire (DSMQ). Glycemic control was evaluated through HbA1c, fasting plasma glucose, and frequency of hypoglycemic episodes. Data were analyzed using SPSS version 27. Between-group comparisons were made using independent sample t-tests, and repeated measures ANOVA assessed time–group interactions, with significance set at p < 0.05.
Results: Participants using CGM demonstrated higher adherence (MMAS-8: 7.1 ± 0.6 vs. 6.4 ± 0.8, p < 0.001) and DSMQ scores (6.8 ± 0.7 vs. 6.1 ± 0.6, p < 0.001). The CGM group achieved lower mean HbA1c (7.62 ± 0.49%) than the SMBG group (8.04 ± 0.53%, p < 0.001) and fewer hypoglycemic episodes per month (0.8 ± 0.5 vs. 1.3 ± 0.7, p = 0.01). Device use consistency and patient satisfaction were also significantly higher among CGM users.
Conclusion: Continuous glucose monitoring substantially improved adherence, glycemic control, and patient engagement compared to traditional finger-prick monitoring. These findings support integrating CGM into standard diabetes management to enhance adherence-driven outcomes and overall treatment efficacy.
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