The Impact of Flash Glucose Monitoring on Markers of Glycaemic Control and Patient Satisfaction in Type 2 Diabetes

Introduction: The effect of flash glucose monitoring on glycaemic control and patient satisfaction in insulin-treated type 2 diabetes (T2D) from Saudi Arabia is uncertain. The aim of this prospective observational study was to evaluate the change in HbA1c (Hemoglobin A1c) and satisfaction with treatment following the initiation of flash glucose monitoring. Methods: This single-arm, single-centre prospective observational study included flash glucose monitoring-naive adult patients with T2D managed with multiple daily injections of insulin therapy (MDI) and HbA1c >= 7%. HbA1c was measured, and the Diabetes Treatment Satisfaction Questionnaire (DTSQ, Arabic version) and Glucose Monitoring Satisfaction Survey (GMSS) were completed at baseline and 12 weeks. Results: For participants (n=54) from one diabetes centre, HbA1c significantly improved by 0.44% from 8.22%+/- 0.69 (mean +/- SD) at baseline to 7.78%+/- 0.71 at 12 weeks, p<0.001. Confirmed hypoglycaemic episodes reduced from 4.43 +/- 1.51 episodes/month to 1.24 +/- 1.15 (-3.19, p<0.001). Glucose monitoring frequency improved, indicated by the number of scans per day, with a mean increase of 5.13 (p <0.001) tests/day. GMSS scores improved across all four categories, as did overall treatment satisfaction (p<0.001 for all categories). Patients perceived clear improvements across all questions relating to satisfaction and frequency of hypo- or hyperglycaemic episodes. Conclusion: Following initiation of flash glucose monitoring in patients with T2D and MDI insulin therapy, HbA1c improved with reduced hypoglycaemic events and increased patient-reported satisfaction. This study contributes valuable data on the use of flash glucose monitoring in this population, and a larger multicentre study is warranted to inform future health policy for T2D in Saudi Arabia.