Background: Considering that people with type 1 diabetes (T1D) and impaired awareness of hypoglycemia (IAH) have a delayed perception of hypoglycemia, the question arises if they perform scans later in case of hypoglycemia compared to those with normal hypoglycemia awareness (non-IAH). We assessed if the time until performing a scan after reaching hypoglycemia while using a flash glucose monitoring (Flash GM) system is different in people with T1D and IAH compared to people with T1D and non-IAH.
Material and Methods: 92 people with T1D (age of 42±14 years, BMI 25.1±4.0 kg/m2, HbA1c 57±9 mmol/mol (7.3±0.8%), 73 MDI/19 CSII) using a Flash GM system for 3 months were included. Flash GM data were downloaded and assessed for time until scan after reaching hypoglycemia level 1 (<70 mg/dL) and level 2 (<54 mg/dL) and compared for T1D with IAH versus non-IAH via unpaired t-test or Mann-Whitney-U test (p<0.05). IAH was routinely assessed by means of Gold, Clarke and Pedersen-Bjergaard Score.
Results: Significant differences were only found for the delay between reaching hypoglycemia and scan between IAH and non-IAH for both Gold Score (hypoglycemia level 1: IAH 78 min [51-105] vs. non-IAH 63 min [42-89], p=0.03; nighttime hypoglycemia level 2: IAH 140 min [107-227] vs. non-IAH 96 min [41-155], p=0.004) and Pedersen-Bjergaard Score (hypoglycemia level 1: IAH 76 min [52-97] vs. non-IAH 54 min [38-71], p=0.01; nighttime hypoglycemia level 1: IAH 132 min [79-209] vs. non-IAH 89 min [59-143], p=0.01; nighttime hypoglycemia level 2: IAH 134 min [66-212] vs. non-IAH 80 min [37-131], p=0.002).
Conclusion: These preliminary data suggest that the time until scan after reaching hypoglycemia may serve as an objective assessment tool for IAH in people with T1D.
O. Moser: Other Relationship; Self; Dexcom, Inc., Novo Nordisk A/S, Sanofi. H. Ziko: None. H. Elsayed: None. D.A. Hochfellner: None. T. Poettler: None. A. Mueller: None. M.L. Eckstein: Research Support; Self; Dexcom, Inc., Novo Nordisk A/S, Sanofi-Aventis. L. Knoll: None. H. Sourij: Advisory Panel; Self; Amgen, AstraZeneca, Boehringer Ingelheim International GmbH, Merck Sharp & Dohme Corp., Novo Nordisk A/S, Sanofi. Research Support; Self; Boehringer Ingelheim International GmbH, Merck Sharp & Dohme Corp., Novo Nordisk A/S, Sanofi. Speaker’s Bureau; Self; Boehringer Ingelheim International GmbH, Novo Nordisk A/S, Sanofi. J.K. Mader: Advisory Panel; Self; Becton, Dickinson and Company, Eli Lilly and Company, Medtronic, Prediktor Medical, Sanofi-Aventis. Speaker’s Bureau; Self; Abbott, Eli Lilly and Company, Medtronic, Novo Nordisk A/S, Roche Diabetes Care, Sanofi-Aventis.