Abbott (NYSE: ABT) announced today that four real-world data abstractsi,ii,iii,iv are being presented during the 13th Advanced Technologies & Treatments for Diabetes (ATTD) in Madrid. The new data show that users of the FreeStyle Libre system have improved glucose control,iii increased time in target glucose range,iii and decreased time in hyperglycemiaiv (high glucose levels) and hypoglycemiaiv (low glucose levels), as well as reduced HbA1Ci,ii (average glucose levels over a three month period).ii
“As the world leader in sensor-based glucose monitoring with more than two million users, Abbott’s FreeStyle Libre system has an unmatched body of real-world evidence supporting its clinical benefits,” said Mahmood Kazemi, M.D., divisional vice president, global medical and scientific affairs, and chief medical officer, Diabetes Care, Abbott. “Time and time again, we’ve seen meaningful data that reaffirm our technology’s direct impact in achieving better health outcomes for people with diabetes – and the findings at ATTD underscore how we’re continuing to transform people’s lives.”
The following abstracts are being presented at ATTD:
Improving HbA1c Control in People with Type 1 or Type 2 Diabetes Using FreeStyle Libre
People living in Germany with Type 1 or Type 2 diabetes on insulin show a sustained reduction in HbA1c over 12 months following use of the FreeStyle Libre system,ii which indicates that FreeStyle Libre users had an improved HbA1c that was maintained over a substantial period of time. The American Diabetes Association recommends an HbA1C goal of less than 7% for adults with diabetes.v People with Type 1 diabetes using the FreeStyle Libre system with a baseline HbA1c greater than 7.5% showed an average reduction of 1.4%, and people with Type 2 diabetes showed an average reduction of 1.2%. An HbA1c level that is reduced by almost 1% is linked to an overwhelming reduction in long-term complications of diabetes by 30% according to landmark studies.vi
Real-World Study of FreeStyle Libre System Among Adults with Type 1 and Type 2 Diabetes within the Sweden National Diabetes Register
Notable datai from Sweden’s National Diabetes Register conclude that people with Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes significantly reduced their HbA1c when they used the FreeStyle Libre system for three to nine months. A reduction of HbA1c of 0.44% for people with Type 1 and 0.67% for people with Type 2 were observed with first-time users of FreeStyle Libre system.
Canadian Real-World Analysis of FreeStyle Libre and Glycemic Control
Expanded analysisiii of real-world data from Canada demonstrate that higher frequency of scanning is associated with increased time in target glucose range (hours per day spent in between 70-180 mg/dLvii) and decreased hypoglycemia. Greater time in range has been linked to more stable glucose control, which could lead to fewer complications. FreeStyle Libre users who scanned at the lowest frequency (3.3 scans per day) spent 54.6% time in range, and users with the highest scanning frequency (29.3 scans per day) spent 66.7% time in range.
This analysis, in addition to previous real-world findings,viii consistently show a strong association between FreeStyle Libre users who scan more frequently and overall improved glucose control.
Continuous Glucose Monitoring (CGM) Use in the U.S. is Associated with Reduction in Acute Diabetes Complications, Even with Prior Low Test Strip Use
More than 12,000 people with diabetes using a CGM for the first time, including the FreeStyle Libre system, experienced a significant reduction in acute diabetes complicationsiv– even in people with diabetes that have a history of self-monitoring of blood glucose (SMBG) using less than four test strips per day.ix People with Type 1 diabetes experienced a significant reduction in acute diabetes complications of 44% after CGM usage.iv For people with Type 2 diabetes, there was a significant reduction of 51%.iv
Abbott’s FreeStyle Libre system is now being used by more than 2 million people living with diabetes across 46 countries.x Abbott has secured partial or full reimbursement for the FreeStyle Libre system in 36 countries, including France, Ireland, Japan, the United Kingdom, and the U.S.
Source: Company Press Release