In February, CIM travelled to Madrid, Spain to take part in the 2020 Advanced Technologies & Treatments for Diabetes (ATTD) conference. We took in as much as we could and shared through both Instagram and Twitter in real time, but, of course, there was way more that we wanted to pass on. Today, we’re taking the time to share key learnings from Dexcom’s presentations the conference. You can also read about our takeaways from Abbott’s presentations here.
Disclaimer: Please check out CIM’s Partners Page to learn more about the companies we work with. This post was not paid for and does not represent sponsored content, but it’s important to recognize that we may be biased based on the fact that some companies highlighted below support CIM in different ways. We still thought this info was important for you to know about.
Summary:
- Sneak peek at the Dexcom G7
- Dexcom & Pregnancy
- Dexcom & Seniors
- Dexcom driving conversation about Time in Range
At ATTD there are opportunities to attend industry symposia, where companies have the chance to present data about their products and even, in some cases, speak about product pipelines. At ATTD 2020, we had the chance to see some of what is on the horizon for Dexcom, including the future Dexcom G7. Dexcom G7 will use a totally new platform to what we are used to now with the G6 and G5 platforms. It is planned to be the smallest and slimmest of any CGM on the market at 30% smaller than the current system. It is being compared to the size of a quarter. The G7 is also expected to address issues the community has raised related to waste, making the packaging and the applicator smaller. From a functionality standpoint, the Dexcom G7 is expected to have a 1-hour warm-up with no need to manually start the sensor session and new 14-day wear. It is expected to be fully disposable, with the sensor and transmitter as one piece. We’re keeping an eye on this one!
On the science side of things, Dexcom was recently approved in Europe for use by women who are pregnant. As of March 2020, the use of Dexcom during pregnancy in both Canada and the US is considered off-label; however, data from the T1D Exchange showed that women using CGM off-label during pregnancy had a 3% decrease of A1C. Unfortunately, Time in Range data was not available, but we look forward to seeing it in the future, along with approvals for use of CGM during pregnancy in North America. Additional research showing the benefits of CGM for women who are pregnant was presented at ATTD 2020. One study suggested that normally, half of all women with gestational diabetes have babies with a high birth weight. When a group of women with gestational diabetes started using CGM, however, that number dropped to just 12%. This is exciting for all women with Type 1 diabetes who are considering pregnancy as its approval could mean more tools (and, who knows, perhaps more funding?) at our finger tips.
Dexcom data has been driving the shift from focusing on A1C to focusing on Time in Range and it was no doubt that not only this language but a new way of thinking is taking hold in the scientific, healthcare, and T1D communities. A suggestion of shifting towards talking about goals of FNIR – Flat, Narrow, and In Range – glucose profiles, as a standard in diabetes care. It was also reported that the more someone engaged with Dexcom G6 features, the better their Time in Range, including 38% less time spent with low BGs. The features that were used for this analysis include: Alert Settings (custom high and low BG alerts), Urgent Low Soon (an alert received 20 minutes before a predicted Urgent Low BG), Dexcom Follow (the companion app that allows friends or family members to see someone else’s BG readings in real time); and Dexcom Clarity (report/graph app).
Finally, the Wireless Innovations for Seniors with Diabetes Mellitus (WISDM) Study found that the use of CGM in individuals over 60 resulted in fewer low BGs and 2 hours more Time in Range spent than seniors using traditional blood glucose monitoring alone. We are excited to keep an eye on additional research related to diabetes & aging, as a large cohort of people with Type 1 diabetes approach the senior age bracket.
To learn more about what Dexcom has on the go and to stay updated, visit their websites:
Canada: https://www.dexcom.com/en-CA
USA: https://dexcom.com/
