Glucose Patterns in Very Old Adults: A Pilot Study in a Community-Based Population

Area of Science:

• Gerontology
• Endocrinology
• Medical Devices

Background:

• Continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) offers detailed glucose insights, but data in the very old population are limited.
• Understanding glucose patterns in older adults is crucial for managing health and preventing complications.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the feasibility, acceptability, and glucose patterns observed with CGM in very old adults.
• To explore CGM-derived metrics in individuals with and without diabetes within this age group.

Main Methods:

• A pilot study enrolled 27 adults (mean age 81 years) from the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities (ARIC) Study.
• Participants, including 8 with type 2 diabetes and 19 without, wore a CGM sensor for up to 14 days.
• Key CGM metrics analyzed included mean glucose, standard deviation, coefficient of variation, time-in-range, and hypoglycemia events.

Main Results:

• CGM was feasible and acceptable in very old adults, with a mean wear time of 13.2 days.
• Significant variability in CGM parameters was observed in both non-diabetic and diabetic participants.
• A high prevalence of hypoglycemia was detected in both groups, irrespective of diabetes status.

Conclusions:

• CGM provides valuable, nuanced glucose data in very old adults, complementing traditional HbA1c measurements.
• Low glucose readings on CGM are common in this population, including those without diabetes, though their clinical significance requires further investigation.
• CGM can offer complementary information to HbA1c, aiding in a more comprehensive understanding of glucose metabolism in the elderly.