Continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) is increasingly used in type 2 diabetes (T2D) management, offering glycemic insights beyond glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c). A systematic literature review published in Diabetic Medicine evaluated glycemic outcomes and patient-reported outcomes (PROs) associated with CGM use in adults with T2D.
The review searched PubMed, Scopus, the Cochrane Library, and CINAHL from inception through June 2025. Outcomes assessed included HbA1c, time in range (TIR), hypoglycemia, glycemic variability, and PROs. The review included 30 studies involving approximately 3,275 participants.
Findings
- CGM use was associated with lower HbA1c levels, particularly among insulin-treated individuals and those with higher baseline HbA1c.
- TIR increased by approximately 9% to 15%, equivalent to an additional 1.5-3.6 hours per day within target glucose range.
- CGM use was generally associated with lower hypoglycemia risk and reduced glycemic variability, although hypoglycemia findings were not uniform across studies.
- Treatment satisfaction and diabetes-related distress showed more consistent improvement than broader quality-of-life measures.
CGM use was associated with improvements in glycemic measures and diabetes-specific patient-reported outcomes across included studies. Evidence for long-term outcomes and some patient populations remained limited.
