Effect of intermittently scanned continuous glucose monitoring in people with diabetes with a psychosocial indication for initiation

AIM

To understand the effect of intermittently scanned continuous glucose monitoring (isCGM) in people with diabetes with a 'psychosocial' indication for access.

METHODS

The study utilized baseline and follow-up data from the Association of British Clinical Diabetologists nationwide audit of people with diabetes in the UK. Diabetes-related distress (DRD) was assessed using the two-item diabetes-related distress scale (DDS). Participants were categorized into two groups: high DRD (DDS score ≥ 3) and lower DRD (DDS score < 3). The t-test was used to assess the difference in the pre- and post-isCGM continuous variables.

RESULTS

The study consisted of 17 036 people with diabetes, with 1314 (7%) using isCGM for 'psychosocial' reasons. Follow-up data were available for 327 participants, 322 (99%) of whom had type 1 diabetes with a median diabetes duration of 15 years; 75% (n = 241) had high levels of DRD. With the initiation of isCGM, after a mean follow-up period of 6.9 months, there was a significant reduction in DDS score; 4 at baseline versus 2.5 at follow-up (P < .001). The prevalence of high DRD reduced from 76% to 38% at follow-up (50% reduction in DRD, P < .001). There was also a significant reduction in HbA1c (78.5 mmol/mol [9.3%] at baseline vs. 66.5 mmol/mol [8.2%] at follow-up; P < .001). This group also experienced an 87% reduction in hospital admissions because of hyperglycaemia/diabetic ketoacidosis (P < .001).

CONCLUSION

People with diabetes who had isCGM initiated for a psychosocial indication had high levels of DRD and HbA1c, which improved with the use of isCGM.

Survey data on the knowledge, attitudes and practices of Nigerians towards the prevention and spread of COVID-19 during the lockdown period in Nigeria

There had been an urgent call for the collection of standardized data describing clinical presentations, severity, outcomes, and epidemiology of COVID-19 by the World Health Organization (WHO). These data were expected to compliment the national pandemic data collated from countries by the World Health Organization (WHO). Nigeria, among other countries, is not an exception. This survey collected data on the respondent's knowledge on COVID-19, their attitude and practices towards the control of the spread of COVID-19 amongst Nigerians. The data were collected through an online survey. There were 1320 respondents from Nigeria that answered the survey questions. The survey was conducted between March 31 and April 28, 2020 which were within the lockdown period in the country. These data could serve as auxiliary information and/or research data for other researchers in Nigeria. It could also serve as guide or reference data to other researchers outside Nigeria who may be interested in carrying out similar research in another country.