continuous glucose monitor

Overview

A continuous glucose monitor (CGM) is a wearable glucose-sensing technology used to measure interstitial glucose levels repeatedly over time, providing a dense glucose profile rather than isolated point measurements. In clinical practice, CGM is used to support diabetes management by helping patients and clinicians identify patterns of hyperglycemia and hypoglycemia, assess glycemic variability, and evaluate metrics such as time-in-range, time-above-range, and time-below-range.

CGM has become an important tool in the management of type 1 diabetes and is increasingly studied in type 2 diabetes, including in people treated with basal insulin, Insulin Therapy, and modern therapies. It is also being explored in other metabolic and endocrine contexts, such as cystic fibrosis-related diabetes, glycogen storage disease, post-bariatric hypoglycemia, and in people without diabetes for research on early dysglycemia and personalized nutrition. Recent work also links CGM with automated insulin delivery systems, hybrid closed-loop systems, fully closed-loop insulin delivery, and CGM-integrated digital health apps, reflecting its central role in contemporary diabetes technology.

Focus of Latest Publications

Recent publications have focused on continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) primarily in type 2 diabetes, especially in insulin-treated adults and in real-world primary care settings. Several studies examined CGM alongside other diabetes technologies or treatment strategies, including multiple daily injections plus CGM, automated insulin delivery, and basal insulin-based regimens. One randomized multicentre trial evaluated real-time CGM versus self-monitoring of blood glucose in adults with type 2 diabetes, reflecting ongoing interest in whether CGM improves glycemic management beyond conventional monitoring.

A number of reports addressed practical implementation and use patterns. In primary care, one study evaluated the impact of activating CGM alarms in people with type 2 diabetes treated with insulin, focusing on utilization rates and achieved glycemic control with the FSL2 system. Another retrospective study examined barriers to CGM use in adults with type 2 diabetes receiving endocrinology care, finding that patient preference was the most common reason for non-use, while lack of documented CGM discussion was also frequent; financial and phone compatibility barriers were less common.

The latest literature also includes broader assessments of diabetes technology use and its real-world impact. A European real-world data initiative highlighted the importance of evidence from routine use of continuous glucose monitoring and related technologies, noting that such data can complement randomized trial findings and help identify barriers and opportunities for improving care. In addition, a study explored the relationship between CGM and corneal neuropathy measured by in vivo confocal microscopy in type 2 diabetes, indicating interest in whether CGM-related glycemic data may relate to microvascular or neuropathic outcomes.

Economic and comparative effectiveness questions are also being studied. One analysis evaluated the cost-effectiveness of automated insulin delivery technology compared with multiple daily injections plus CGM in adults with type 2 diabetes in the United States, underscoring the role of CGM as part of the comparator standard in technology assessments. Overall, the recent publications show that CGM research is expanding from efficacy questions to implementation, barriers, real-world use, and health-economic evaluation in type 2 diabetes.

Key Publications

• May Cost-Effectiveness of Control-IQ+ Technology in Insulin-Treated Patients With Type 2 Diabetes in the United States. (Diabetes, obesity & metabolism, 2026, PMID 42086278): "This analysis evaluates the clinical and economic outcomes of AID compared with multiple daily injections plus continuous glucose monitoring (MDI/CGM) in adults with type 2 diabetes."
• Jun Integrating continuous glucose monitoring alarms in primary care: Evaluation of utilization rates and achieved glycemic control in people with type 2 diabetes treated with insulin. (Primary care diabetes, 2026, PMID 42049539): "This study aims to evaluate the impact of alarm activation on Continuous Glucose Monitoring (CGM) metrics in people with type 2 diabetes (PwT2D) using the FSL2 system in a primary care setting."
• Jun Continuous glucose monitoring versus self-monitoring of blood glucose in individuals with type 2 diabetes: a randomised, multicentre, open-label, superiority trial. (The lancet. Diabetes & endocrinology, 2026, PMID 42035781): "The value of continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) in people with type 2 diabetes managed with basal insulin and modern therapies remains unclear."
• Apr The dt-Report: A Novel Real-World Data Approach to Understanding the Use and Impact of Diabetes Technology in European Countries. (Journal of diabetes science and technology, 2026, PMID 41933491): "Evidence for the efficacy of using systems for continuous glucose monitoring, automated insulin delivery, and so on has largely been derived from randomized controlled trials, which are pivotal for regulatory approvals and reimbursement decisions."
• May Barriers to use of continuous glucose monitoring among adults with type 2 diabetes. (Diabetes research and clinical practice, 2026, PMID 41856330): "This retrospective study assessed barriers to CGM use among 100 adults with type 2 diabetes receiving endocrinology care."
• Jun Relationship between continuous glucose monitoring and corneal neuropathy in type 2 diabetes. (The Journal of clinical endocrinology and metabolism, 2026, PMID 41606797): "The relationship between corneal neuropathy measured by in vivo confocal microscopy (IVCM) and continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) remains unclear."