The American Diabetes Association’s 79th Scientific Sessions (ADA 2019), Ascensia Diabetes Care, has presented clinical research that demonstrates that people with type 2 diabetes who participated in the study significantly lowered HbA1c while using its investigational Interconnected Diabetes Management Solution (IDMS), suggesting it has the potential to improve self-care and glycemic control.
The study found that the use of Ascensia’s investigational IDMS was associated with a significant decrease in HbA1c levels in people with type 2 diabetes, independent of any changes to diabetes medication, suggesting that the solution could lead to improved self-care and better glycemic control. As the primary endpoint, mean HbA1c significantly decreased by 0.43%, from 8.44% at the start to 8.01% after 12 weeks.
This data is the first indication of clinically meaningful results from the use of this IDMS and suggest that the solution has the potential for benefit in the management of type 2 diabetes.
Ascensia’s investigational solution is designed to provide additional support for adults with diabetes by enabling them to more effectively manage their condition. It uses a combination of remote behavioral coaching from a Certified Diabetes Educator (CDE) and a mobile application to support people with type 2 diabetes.
The CDE is able to use the person’s own data to customize their coaching guidance, providing them with actionable information that can support their own individual self-management.
The solution allows the CDE to suggest guidance-directed tasks that support users to make informed behavioral changes and improve self-management. Taking a holistic approach to diabetes management, calls from the CDE and subsequent monitoring helps people with behavioral interventions to improve blood glucose monitoring, food choices, activity levels, stress and sleep.
Dr. Leslie Klaff, Lead Author, explained: “This research is the first study to demonstrate a benefit for this IDMS and indicates the potential of this solution for the management of type 2 diabetes. The combination of interaction with a human guide together with the app is an exciting development in diabetes management solutions.
“The IDMS in this study allowed individuals together with their guide to decide the lifestyle changes that might work for them. Based on these decisions, the individual could then determine how the app could best be used and they were coached throughout by the guide.
“This study indicates that these two components appear to form an effective tool to support behavioral change and improve glycemic control by enabling people with diabetes to make small but impactful lifestyle adjustments. There is potential for substantial clinical benefit by using this type of technology-led approach and further research with longer duration studies is needed to better understand the effect size of this digital intervention.”
The study lasted for 12 weeks and was designed as a single-arm pilot study. It included 58 participants, who previously had not achieved glycemic control, and regular blood glucose data was captured using a wireless enabled CONTOUR NEXT ONE blood glucose smart meter.
Russ Newsome, Global Head of Interconnected Diabetes Management, Ascensia Diabetes Care, added: “There is an increasing drive from the diabetes community for new digital solutions that can support self-management of type 2 diabetes. We are excited by the results we see in this study and look forward to conducting further research that investigate the effectiveness of this solution. We are pleased to continue our involvement in cutting-edge research in the digital space that help further our understanding of how these solutions can support the management of diabetes and help to improve lives.”
Ascensia’s investigational IDMS is currently only being studied and developed for use in the United States.
