Diabetes app reduces likelihood of hypoglycemic events

The study was presented as a poster at the ATTD 2019 in Berlin, Germany by Dr Andreas Stuhr, M.D., Head of Global Medical Affairs at Ascensia and lead author. It examined the impact of usage of the CONTOUR NEXT ONE blood glucose meter and the CONTOUR DIABETES app on the likelihood of hypo- and hyperglycemic events after 180 days of meter and app use in two different groups of subjects from the UK and Germany.

The study found that meter and app usage for more than 180 days was associated with a statistically significant decrease in the likelihood of hypoglycemic events (defined as ≤50mg/dL) in both UK and German cohorts, suggesting that the system can help people with diabetes manage their condition more effectively.

The study examined anonymised data from 11,341 people with diabetes from the UK (3,905 people) and Germany (7,436 people) to determine the effect of meter and app use for more than 180 days on the frequency of hypoglycemia and hyperglycemia.

Odds ratios were calculated to compare the frequency of hypoglycemia and hyperglycemia in the first 30 days with the frequency of these events after 180 days. An odds ratio of >1 means that use of the system reduced the chance of having a hypoglycemic or hyperglycemic event. In the UK cohort, the odds ratio for hypoglycemia was 1.412 and in the German cohort, the odds ratio for hypoglycemia was 1.364, both indicating a reduction in the likelihood of hypoglycemia after 180 days of meter and app usage. There was little effect observed on the frequency of hyperglycemia frequency (defined as ³180 mg/dL), with odds ratios of 0.99 in the UK cohort and 1.01 in the German cohort.

This is the first European study to demonstrate this effect from CONTOUR®DIABETES app usage, and adds to evidence from a US study that was presented at the 28th Diabetes Technology Meeting (DTM) in Bethesda, Maryland in November 2018, which demonstrated reductions in the likelihood of hypoglycemic and hyperglycemic events in people with diabetes following 180 days of CONTOUR DIABETES app use.

Dr Andreas Stuhr, M.D., Head of Global Medical Affairs, Ascensia Diabetes Care, explained: “It is encouraging to see this new evidence in a European cohort of people with diabetes demonstrating that the CONTOUR DIABETES app can lead to improved glycemic control. The findings from this study show that by using the CONTOUR NEXT ONE meter and CONTOUR DIABETES app, people with diabetes may be able to decrease their likelihood of experiencing hypoglycemic events, which can in turn reduce the impact that diabetes has on their lives. Our aim at Ascensia is to empower people with diabetes to more effectively self-manage their blood glucose levels.”

The CONTOUR DIABETES app is part of the CONTOUR NEXT ONE blood glucose monitoring system from Ascensia. The meter transmits blood glucose readings to the app via Bluetooth technology on a compatible Android or iOS device. The app analyses readings received from the meter to identify patterns and provides personalised guidance for diabetes self-management based on the well-researched Information-Motivation-Behavioural Skills (IMB) model of health behaviour change. The CONTOUR DIABETES app is available in the Apple App Store (iOS) and Google Play (Android).