Introduction: Patients with congenital hyperinsulinism (HI) require constant glucose monitoring to detect and treat recurrent and severe hypoglycemia. Historically, this has been achieved with intermittent self-monitoring blood glucose (SMBG), but patients are increasingly using continuous glucose monitoring (CGM). Given the rapidity of CGM device development, and increasing calls for CGM use from HI families, it is vital that new devices are evaluated early.
Methods: We provided two months of supplies for the new Dexcom G7 CGM device to 10 patients with HI who had recently finished using the Dexcom G6. Self-monitoring blood glucose was performed concurrently with paired readings providing accuracy calculations. Patients and families completed questionnaires about device use at the end of the two-month study period.
Results: Compared to the G6, the G7 showed a significant reduction in mean absolute relative difference (25%-18%, P < .001) and in the over-read error (Bland Altman +1.96 SD; 3.54 mmol/L to 2.95 mmol/L). This resulted in an improvement in hypoglycemia detection from 42% to 62% (P < .001). Families reported an overall preference for the G7 but highlighted concerns about high sensor failure rates.
Discussion: The reduction in mean absolute relative difference and over-read error and the improvement in hypoglycemia detection implies that the G7 is a safer and more useful device in the management of hypoglycemia for patients with HI. Accuracy, while improved from previous devices, remains suboptimal with 40% of hypoglycemia episodes not detected.
Keywords: continuous glucose monitoring; hyperinsulinism; hypoglycemia; pediatrics.