Quality-of-Life Measures in Children and Adults With Type 1 Diabetes: Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation Continuous Glucose Monitoring randomized trial

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the impact of continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) on quality of life (QOL) among individuals with type 1 diabetes.

RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS

In a multicenter trial, 451 children and adults with type 1 diabetes were randomly assigned to CGM treatment or the control group. Generic and diabetes-specific QOL questionnaires were completed at baseline and 26 weeks by all participants and parents of participants <18 years old, and the CGM satisfaction scale was completed by the CGM group (participants and parents) at 26 weeks.

RESULTS

After 26 weeks, QOL scores remained largely unchanged for both the treatment and the control group, although there was a slight difference favoring the adult CGM group on several subscales (P < 0.05). There was substantial satisfaction with CGM technology after 26 weeks among participants and parents.

CONCLUSIONS

Baseline QOL was high, and the measures showed little change with CGM use, although a high level of CGM satisfaction was reported.In the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (JDRF) Continuous Glucose Monitoring (CGM) trial, real-time CGM improved glycemia for adults with type 1 diabetes with entry A1C ≥7.0% (1–3), and more frequent CGM use was associated with a greater reduction in A1C in all age-groups (2). Participants with A1C <7.0% at enrollment who used CGM maintained low A1C levels more often than those who used standard blood glucose monitoring (BGM) and also had reduced biochemical hypoglycemia (3). This analysis assesses change in quality of life (QOL) among adults and children with type 1 diabetes and parent-proxy reports of youth QOL for participants in the trial.