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Reductions in HbA1c with Flash Glucose Monitoring Are Sustained for up to 24 Months: A Meta-Analysis of 75 Real-World Observational Studies

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Evans, Mark, Welsh, Zoë, Seibold, Alexander·2022·Diabetes Therapy
DOI 10.1007/s13300-022-01253-9PMC PMC9174370
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Abstract

INTRODUCTION: Real-world evidence (RWE) confirms that reductions in HbA1c for children and adults with type 1 diabetes (T1DM) and adults with type 2 diabetes (T2DM) are associated with use of the FreeStyle Libre system. This current meta-analysis aims to investigate whether HbA1c benefits are sustained over 24 months and to identify patterns of change in HbA1c for users of the FreeStyle Libre system for people living with T1DM or T2DM. METHODS: A bibliographic search up to December 2020 identified 75 studies reporting data on change in lab HbA1c in 30,478 participants with type 1 (n = 28,063; 62 trials) or type 2 diabetes (n = 2415; 13 trials) using the FreeStyle Libre system, including observations on children, adolescents and adults. Meta-analysis was performed using a random effects model. RESULTS: Reductions in HbA1c at 3-4 months were similar for adults with T1DM (- 0.53%, 95% CI - 0.69 to - 0.38) or with T2DM (- 0.45%, 95% CI - 0.57 to - 0.33), continuing through 4.5-7.5 months in T1DM (- 0.42%, 95% CI - 0.58 to - 0.27) and in T2DM (- 0.59%, 95% CI - 0.80 to - 0.39). Meta-regression analysis shows that higher starting HbA1c is correlated with greater reductions in HbA1c in T1DM and in T2DM. These patterns of change in HbA1c were sustained for 24 months in T1DM and for at least 12 months in T2DM. CONCLUSIONS: Meta-analysis of RWE confirms that using the FreeStyle Libre system is associated with significant reductions in HbA1c for adults with T1DM or with T2DM. Reductions are greater for people with higher baseline HbA1c and are sustained for 24 and 12 months in T1DM and TD2M respectively.

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  • Real-world studies show that the benefit of continuous glucose monitoring is sustained for at least 12 months in people with type 2 diabetes and 24 months in people with type 1 diabetes.

    “Real-world studies show that this benefit is sustained for at least 12 months in people with type 2 diabetes and 24 months in people with type 1 diabetes.23”

    From Blood glucose monitoring devices: current considerations (2023) · cites this paper as [23]

    The Abstract Results report sustained HbA1c reductions for 24 months in type 1 diabetes and at least 12 months in type 2 diabetes. However, the analysis concerns FreeStyle Libre flash glucose monitoring specifically; it does not establish that the benefit persists for continuous glucose monitoring devices generally. (LLM, conf=0.84)

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References 35 · Cited by 67

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Authors
Evans, M., Welsh, Z., & Seibold, A.
Affiliations
  • University of Cambridge (GB)
  • Abbott (Germany) (DE)
Corresponding author
Evans, Mark
ORCID
Venue
Diabetes Therapy
Publisher
Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Published
2022-04-27
Volume
13
Issue
6
Pages
1175-1185
ISSN
  • 1869-6953 (ISSN-L)
  • 1869-6961
DOI
10.1007/s13300-022-01253-9
PMC
PMC9174370
OpenAlex
W4224930752
Cited by
67
References
35
Citations by year
2026: 13 · 2025: 18 · 2024: 17 · 2023: 16 · 2022: 3
FWCI
1.92
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Licence
Locations
  • Diabetes Therapy (publishedVersion, cc-by-nc)
  • PubMed Central (publishedVersion, cc-by-nc)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • Apollo (University of Cambridge) (submittedVersion, cc-by-nc)
  • Apollo
Funders
Abbott Diabetes Care
Topics
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism › Diabetes Management and Research
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism › Diabetes Treatment and Management
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism › Diabetes Management and Education
Keywords
FreeStyle Libre, HbA1c reduction, type 1 diabetes, type 2 diabetes, glycemic control, real-world evidence, baseline HbA1c, continuous glucose monitoring

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