Frontiers in Clinical Diabetes and Healthcare · 6 authors, 4 centres
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This systematic review and meta-analysis of 5 randomised controlled trials (719 participants) found that flash glucose monitoring did not significantly reduce HbA1c compared to self-monitoring of blood glucose, but was associated with a significant increase in time in range and a decrease in the frequency of hypoglycaemic episodes. The analysis was limited by a small number of included studies and high heterogeneity between them.
This systematic review and meta-analysis evaluated the efficacy of flash glucose monitoring (FlashGM) versus self-monitoring of blood glucose (SMBG) for glycaemic management in adults with diabetes. The authors included five randomised controlled trials (RCTs) published between 2014 and 2021, involving a total of 719 participants with type 1 or type 2 diabetes, with intervention durations of 10 to 24 weeks. The meta-analysis found no statistically significant reduction in HbA1c with FlashGM compared to SMBG (mean difference -0.17%, 95% CI -0.41 to 0.07). However, FlashGM was associated with a significant increase in time in the target glucose range (mean difference 1.16 hours per day, 95% CI 0.13 to 2.19) and a significant decrease in the frequency of hypoglycaemic episodes (mean difference -0.28 episodes per 24 hours, 95% CI -0.53 to -0.04). There was no significant difference in time spent in hypoglycaemia or hyperglycaemia. The authors noted that FlashGM may improve glycaemic variability and self-management through continuous glucose data, which is a key advantage over intermittent finger-prick testing. The study's primary limitations include the small number of included RCTs, which precluded subgroup analyses, and high heterogeneity (I² ranging from 71.4% to 91.4%) for most outcomes. The evidence is derived from human clinical trials and does not establish long-term effects beyond the 24-week maximum study duration.
