The benefits and accuracy of real‐time continuous glucose monitoring in children and adolescents with type 1 diabetes attending a summer camp

AIMS/INTRODUCTION: This study evaluated the usability, satisfaction, and accuracy of a real-time continuous glucose monitoring (rt-CGM) in children and adolescents with type 1 diabetes (T1D) attending a summer camp. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Seven children and adolescents with T1D (camper) and 31 of healthcare providers (HCPs) participating in a 2-day summer camp in Kumamoto, Japan were enrolled. The usability and satisfaction were evaluated by tailored questionnaire. The accuracy of rt-CGM was evaluated using self-monitoring of blood glucose (BG) and sensor glucose (SG) values before or after (off camp) and during (on camp) the camp. RESULTS: The score of the usefulness of rt-CGM showed 3.29 ± 0.90 in campers and 4.23 ± 0.87 in HCPs (P = 0.017). The degree of recommendation score for rt-CGM was 3.29 ± 1.11 in campers and 4.23 ± 0.79 in HCPs (P = 0.013). Time in range (TIR) off camp was 45.9% and that on camp was 57.0%. Time above range (TAR) off camp was 53.4% and that on camp was 42.4%. The mean absolute relative difference (MARD) off camp was 19.7% ± 25.2%, whereas that on camp was 16.0% ± 14.8% (P = 0.367). Clinically acceptable zones of the error grid analyses were approximately 96% in total. CONCLUSIONS: Rt-CGM exhibited higher usability and recommendation scores in HCPs than those in campers. This may be related to relatively lower accuracy in rt-CGM. Overall usability and recommendation are clinically satisfactory, but due to relatively low accuracy, no decision should be made based on a single, non-verified SG value alone.