University of Pisa
Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine
Pierpaolo Falcetta is a first year Ph.D student in the Clinical and Traslational Sciences course at University of Pisa. His research activity is mainly focused on the clinical and prognostic implications of kidney disease in people with diabetes. He is currently studying the role of several inflammatory and profibrotic molecules secreted by tubular epithelial cells of the kidney as a non-invasive biomarkers for ongoing kidney injury and progressive kidney disease. He has also shown keen interest in the study of advanced technologies and alternative markers of glycemic control applied to special populations of patients with diabetes, e.g. those on maintenance hemodialysis.

Presenter of 1 Presentation

THE USE OF FLASH GLUCOSE MONITORING REDUCES THE RISK OF HYPOGLYCEMIA IN PEOPLE WITH DIABETES ON MAINTENANCE HEMODIALYSIS

Session Type
Oral Presentations Session
Date
Fri, 29.04.2022
Session Time
09:00 - 10:00
Room
Hall 118
Lecture Time
09:48 - 09:56

Abstract

Background and Aims

Few prospective studies have examined the clinical accuracy of flash glucose monitoring (FGM) in people with diabetes (DM) on maintenance hemodialysis (HD). Furthermore, in these patients data on the impact of this technology on glycemic control are lacking.

Methods

A 12-week monocentric, pilot study was conducted in 13 DM subjects on HD (11 males; mean age 64±12.6 years; dialysis vintage 2.9±1.4 years). FGM (Freestyle Libre, Abbott) was applied and main traditional glycemic markers (HbA1c and fructosamine) and FGM-derived metrics were evaluated during the study. Paired SMBG-FGM glucose values were analyzed to calculate mean absolute relative difference (MARD).

Results

Overall, the median MARD was 19.2% (IQR, 9.9-29.9). After 12 weeks, a reduction in time below range (TBR) 54-69 mg/dl [2.5% (IQR, 0.2-4.0) vs. 4% (IQR, 1.0-6.5)] and TBR <54 mg/dl [ 0% (IQR, 0-7) vs. 1% (IQR, 0-2)] was observed (Fig.1). The number of hypoglycemic events also improved, from 6 (IQR, 1.5-9.5) to 2.5 (2.0-6.5) events/day after 10 weeks. Conversely, at the end of follow-up, time in range (TIR) [65 (IQR, 45.5-83.5) vs. 65% (IQR, 54-77)], TAR [(23 (11.5-29.5) vs. 22 (10.5-30.5)%)], HbA1c, and fructosamine were not significantly different compared to baseline. In ROC curve analysis, TIR (AUC=0.686;P=0.011) was a better predictor of glucose variability (coefficient of variation >36%) than HbA1c (AUC=0.592; P=0.372).

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Conclusions

FGM is a clinically acceptable tool to assess glycemic control in DM on HD. Moreover, it is effective in reducing the time spent in hypoglycemia in this particular population.

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