Assessment of Glucose Control Metrics by Discriminant Ratio

Abstract

Objective:

Increasing use of continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) data has created an array of glucose metrics for glucose variability, temporal patterns, and times in ranges. However, a gold standard metric has not been defined. We assess the performance of multiple glucose metrics to determine their ability to detect intra- and interperson variability to determine a set of recommended metrics.

Methods:

The Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation data set, a randomized controlled study of CGM and self-monitored blood glucose conducted in children and adults with type 1 diabetes (T1D), was used. To determine the ability of the evaluated glycemic metrics to discriminate between different subjects and attenuate the effect of within-subject variation, the discriminant ratio was calculated and compared for each metric. Then, the findings were confirmed using data from two other recent randomized clinical trials.

Results:

Mean absolute glucose (MAG) has the highest discriminant ratio value (2.98 [95% confidence interval {CI} 1.64–3.67]). In addition, low blood glucose index and index of glycemic control performed well (1.93 [95% CI 1.15–3.44] and 1.92 [95% CI 1.27–2.93], respectively). For percentage times in glucose target ranges, the optimal discriminator was percentage time in glucose target 70–180 mg/dL.

Conclusions:

MAG is the optimal index to differentiate glucose variability in people with T1D, and may be a complementary therapeutic monitoring tool in addition to glycated hemoglobin and a measure of hypoglycemia. Percentage time in glucose target 70–180 mg/dL is the optimal percentage time in range to report.