Diabetes-Related Distress and Glycemic Dysregulation in Everyday Life With Type 1 Diabetes: Which Comes First?

In an observational study, we paired ecological momentary assessment (EMA) and continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) to examine lagged effects of glycemic regulation on diabetes-related distress (DD), and vice versa, among adults with type 1 diabetes (T1D).

Participants (N = 182; median ± SD age 40 ± 14 years; 54% women; 41% Latino; 29% White and 15% Black) wore a blinded CGM device for 14 days and completed five to six EMA surveys per day. We tested expected associations between momentary DD ratings and relevant patient-reported outcomes on validated questionnaires. Using multilevel cross-lagged modeling, we evaluated within-person lagged effects of CGM metrics (mean glucose mean; percentage of time in range [TIR; i.e., 70-180 mg/dL] and percentages of time 181-250, >250, and <70 mg/dL; and coefficient of variation [CV]) over 3-h periods on DD rated 0-100 at the end of that interval and 3 h later. We also examined lagged effects of DD on subsequent CGM metrics.

Momentary DD ratings were significantly associated with results of questionnaires for DD, well-being, functional and mental health, and quality of life. Higher mean glucose, less TIR, greater percentage of time 181-250 and >250 mg/dL, and higher CV over 3 h each predicted greater DD at the end of that interval; higher 3-h mean glucose also predicted more DD 3 h later (P < 0.05). Greater DD unexpectedly predicted a lower percentage of time in hypoglycemia over the next 3 h (P < 0.05) but predicted no other CGM metrics.

Findings support the validity of EMA of DD in adults with T1D and suggest glucose dysregulation is linked to subsequent increased DD over the short term, not vice versa. These findings have implications for interventions targeting DD.