An estimate of the need for continuous glucose monitoring in type 2 diabetes with intensive insulin treatment in secondary healthcare

Aim: To estimate the proportion of persons with type 2 diabetes (T2DM) receiving intensive insulin treatment in the secondary healthcare who could be candidates for continuous glucose monitoring (CGM), based on different HbA1c criteria. For comparison, the results are also presented as proportion of persons with type 1 diabetes (T1DM) in the same region. Patients and Methods: In the Central Denmark Region, we identified all persons with T1DM (n = 6179) and T2DM (n = 4315) who had a minimum of one contact to a diabetes outpatient clinic from September 2021 to September 2022. Insulin regimen and HbA1c measured after a minimum of 2 months with a stable insulin regimen were retrieved from the healthcare administrative electronic platform used in the region. Results: The numbers of persons with T1DM and T2DM with HbA1c meeting the criteria were 5145 and 3090, respectively. The fraction of T2DM with basal-bolus insulin was 35.3%, and the fraction with basal-bolus insulin and HbA1c >53 (7%) mmol/mol or >58 (7.5%) mmol/mol was 20.5% and 16.6%, respectively. These proportions correspond to 19.4%, 14.4% and 11.7% of the persons with T1DM in the same geographical area. Conclusion: The proportion of persons with T2DM in secondary healthcare undergoing intensive insulin treatment who could be candidates for CGM corresponded to only a minor fraction of persons with T1DM in the same region, irrespective of any HbA1c criteria applied.