Objective: To examine the feasibility of daily use of a continuous glucose monitor, the FreeStyle Navigator™ Continuous Glucose Monitoring System (“Navigator”), in children with type 1 diabetes (T1D).
Research Design and Methods: Following use of a masked Navigator for 4 to 7 days to establish a baseline level of glycemic control, 30 insulin pump users with T1D (average age 11.2 years) were asked to use the Navigator daily for 13 weeks.
Results: Subjects averaged 149 hours/week of Navigator use during the first 4 weeks, which decreased slightly to 134 hours/week during weeks 9 to 13 (P=0.006). Mean hemoglobin A1c improved from 7.1% at baseline to 6.8% at 13 weeks (P=0.02) and the percentage of glucose values between 71 and 180 mg/dL increased from 52% to 60% (P=0.01). Subjects and parents reported high satisfaction with the Navigator on the Continuous Glucose Monitor Satisfaction Scale. Two subjects had severe skin reactions related to sensor mount adhesive.
Conclusion: This study indicates that incorporating real-time continuous glucose monitoring into the daily management of T1D in children is feasible. The results provide a compelling rationale for conducting a randomized trial of daily use of a continuous glucose monitor in children with T1D.