Continuous glucose monitoring in cystic fibrosis – A practical guide

Our ability to monitor blood glucose levels has become increasingly accurate over the last few decades. Continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) technology now allows providers and patients the ability to monitor glucose levels retrospectively as well as in real-time for diabetes management. CGM also provides the ability to study glucose patterns and trends for insight into the pathophysiology and natural history of disease. CGM captures a more complete picture of glucose profiles than traditional measures of glycemia such as the hemoglobin A1c or self-monitoring of blood glucose levels. This article provides a review of the history of glucose monitoring, a review of the literature pertaining to CGM with a focus on studies in patients with cystic fibrosis, and discusses practical uses of CGM technology and its application for the evaluation and management of cystic fibrosis related diabetes.