Inpatient Diabetes Mellitus (DM) Management With Continuous Glucose Monitoring Devices, a Pilot Study.

Several observational studies have shown that uncontrolled hyperglycemia in hospitalized patients in the non-critical care, non-Intensive Care Unit (non-ICU) setting is associated with prolonged length of stay, increased mortality and an increased incidence of infections. Randomized clinical trials in both the critical and the non-ICU settings have shown that by improving glucose control there is a decrease in the incidence of infections, length of stay and inpatient health care costs.

Continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) systems have evolved as useful devices providing excellent clinical care in patients with Diabetes Mellitus (DM). These systems detect glucose in subcutaneous interstitial fluid using a glucose sensor that transmits glucose measurements to a receiving device that reads out average glucose levels every couple of minutes.

In this clinical trial the investigators propose to examine the clinical use of CGM in hospitalized patients with Diabetes Mellitus type 2 (DM2). CGM use may improve glucometric values and clinical outcomes in hospitalized individuals with Diabetes Mellitus type 2 (DM2).

We use CGM devices to monitor but also to transmit glucose values wirelessly to monitoring devices that are in the nursing station. Half of the participants are placed on Real Time CGM (alarms turned on) and half of them are placed on blinded CGM values (alarms turned off). Nursing staff will be notified when glucose is <85 mg/dl , in order to treat and potentially prevent a potential hypoglycemic episode.