What options are available for glucose monitoring in research?

With the availability of more and more glucose monitors in the market, it is now easier than ever for researchers to integrate blood sugar measures into their studies. What are some of the options?

cgm glucose-monitor freestyle dexcom dexcom-g7 freestyle-libre-2 dexcom-stelo otc-cgm freestyle-libre-3 freestyle-lingo freestyle-libre-rio guardian-connect minimed inpen smart-insulin-pen insulin-pumps senseonics-eversense accu-chek bluetooth-glucometer bluetooth-bg-meter icgm

Asked by Gabriel Mongefranco on Wed 3/6/24 10:49 AM Last edited Thu 10/10/24 3:20 PM

Answers (2)

Gabriel Mongefranco Wed 3/6/24 11:24 AM Last edited Thu 10/10/24 3:54 PM

There are many options for glucose monitors available. Some of the factors to consider when selecting a device are the researchers goals, budget, data needs, desire to integrate with insulin pumps or insulin smart pens, and intended populations. Here are some of the common devices being utilized by U-M researchers, as well as upcoming devices, as of 2024:

Prescription-only, FDA-approved Continuous Glucose Monitors (CGM):

Abbott Freestyle Libre 2 - 14 days, worn on arm
Abbott Freestyle Libre 2 Plus - 15 days, worn on arm, connects to t:slim x2 insulin pumps
Abbott Freestyle Libre 3 - 14 days, worn on arm
Abbott Freestyle Libre 3 Plus - 15 days, worn on arm, compatible with several insulin pumps
Abbott Freestyle 14-day - 14 days, worn on arm
- Note: this device does not transmit data continuously. It requires manually scanning the sensor by touching it with the phone
Dexcom G6 - 10 days, worn on abdomen (adults) or buttocks (young children)
Dexcom G7 - 10 days, worn on arm (adults) or buttocks (young children)
Medtronic Guardian Connect CGM System (Guardian Sensor 3) - 7 days, worn on abdomen or arm, for use with MiniMed pumps only
Medtronic Simplera - 6 days, worn on arm, integrates with InPen smart insulin pen, Medtronic Smart MDI, and MiniMed pumps (via Simplera Sync sensor, pending FDA approval)
Senseonics Eversense E3 - 6 months, subcutaneous implantable sensor
Senseonics Eversense 365 - 1 year, subcutaneous implantable sensor
Roche announced in early 2024 they are developing a 14-day CGM system.
There maybe others... let us know!

Over-the-counter Continuous Glucose Monitors (CGM / iCGM):

Dexcom Stelo - for healthy lifestyle and weight management
Abbott Lingo - for healthy lifestyle and weight management
Abbott Libre Rio - for consumers with Type 2 Diabetes who are not on insulin
Other OTC CGMs maybe available but do not (yet) have FDA approval.
Note that the FTC and FDA have warned consumers against using smartwatch-based "glucose monitors" since none have yet been cleared by the FDA and there is currently no data backing their performance and safety.

Over-the-counter Bluetooth-enabled Blood Glucose Meters (BGM / Glucometers):

As a side note, some of the OTC BGMs, and a some popular insulin pumps, may not have Bluetooth connectivity or APIs to access their data directly. However, there are some apps that could provide a bridge to Bluetooth and the cloud, such as: Glooko + MeterSync Blue, Tidepool, Sugarmate, NightScout, XDrip, MySugr, Shuggah, LibreLink + LibreLinkUp, Glucose Direct, and many others. Some of these apps / services can also function as aggregation services, combining data from multiple devices - CGMs, pumps, smart insulin pens, and BGMs - in the same output format.

If you are using other devices in your studies, please let us know by replying to this post!

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Gabriel Mongefranco Mon 10/28/24 5:37 PM

Hello - I moved the contents of this discussion to a KB article. All future updates will be made in the KB.

Mobile Technologies for Glucose Monitoring in Researchhttps://teamdynamix.umich.edu/TDClient/210/DepressionCenter/KB/ArticleDet?ID=12933

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