The effect of rising vs. falling glucose level on amperometric glucose sensor lag and accuracy in Type1 diabetes

W. K. Ward, J. M. Engle, D. Branigan, J. El Youssef, R. G. Massoud, J. R. Castle

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

17 Scopus citations

Abstract

Background Because declining glucose levels should be detected quickly in persons with Type1 diabetes, a lag between blood glucose and subcutaneous sensor glucose can be problematic. It is unclear whether the magnitude of sensor lag is lower during falling glucose than during rising glucose. Methods Initially, we analysed 95 data segments during which glucose changed and during which very frequent reference blood glucose monitoring was performed. However, to minimize confounding effects of noise and calibration error, we excluded data segments in which there was substantial sensor error. After these exclusions, and combination of data from duplicate sensors, there were 72 analysable data segments (36 for rising glucose, 36 for falling). We measured lag in two ways: (1) the time delay at the vertical mid-point of the glucose change (regression delay); and (2) determination of the optimal time shift required to minimize the difference between glucose sensor signals and blood glucose values drawn concurrently. Results Using the regression delay method, the mean sensor lag for rising vs. falling glucose segments was 8.9min (95%CI 6.1-11.6) vs. 1.5min (95%CI -2.6 to 5.5, P<0.005). Using the time shift optimization method, results were similar, with a lag that was higher for rising than for falling segments [8.3 (95%CI 5.8-10.7) vs. 1.5min (95%CI -2.2 to 5.2), P<0.001]. Commensurate with the lag results, sensor accuracy was greater during falling than during rising glucose segments. Conclusions In Type1 diabetes, when noise and calibration error are minimized to reduce effects that confound delay measurement, subcutaneous glucose sensors demonstrate a shorter lag duration and greater accuracy when glucose is falling than when rising.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)1067-1073
Number of pages7
JournalDiabetic Medicine
Volume29
Issue number8
DOIs
StatePublished - Aug 2012

Keywords

  • Biotechnology
  • Continuous blood glucose monitoring
  • Type1 diabetes

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Internal Medicine
  • Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism
  • Endocrinology

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