Using the FreeStyle LibreLink app helped people with diabetes spend more time in their target glucose range compared to those using traditional readers, a new study has found.

The free app provides users of the FreeStyle Libre and FreeStyle Libre 2 with glucose readings on their smartphones, via a sensor worn on the upper arm.

New findings show that people who use the app spend five per cent longer in their Time in Range (TIR). With every extra hour spent in range having a positive impact on glucose control, a five per cent difference represents a clinically significant hour per day approximately.

Mahmood Kazemi, Global Medical and Scientific Affairs and Chief Medical Officer for Abbott said: “Time in Range is a critical metric for diabetes management because it gives that immediate visibility into glucose levels.

“FreeStyle Libre sensor-based technology and digital health solutions simplify the experience of staying in target range by providing real-time, actionable data delivered straight to smartphones and removing the need for a separate reader.”

He said: “This technology helps people living with diabetes make lifestyle choices that are personalised to their own target data and provides an achievable goal that leads to better health outcomes.”

The data showed that app users also experienced lower glucose variability, lower average glucose, and less time in hyperglycaemia than traditional reader users.

International studies found that during lockdown, FreeStyle Libre users with type 1 diabetes increased their TIR by up to four per cent, with associated improvements in glycaemic variability and estimated HbA1c.

Thomas Danne, director of the Department of General Paediatrics and Endocrinology/Diabetology at the Auf der Bult Hospital, Hanover, Germany, said: “At the onset of COVID-19, the healthcare community quickly adapted to a virtual world and thanks to our digital connections with glucose sensor technology, we were able to remotely monitor and guide our patients.

“This adoption of telehealth creates a new standard for healthcare. As we emerge from this pandemic, we can continue to actively manage diabetes remotely. Together with our patients, we can make informed decisions to improve Time in Range.”

Abbott has teamed up with Novo Nordisk and the diaTribe Foundation to raise awareness of the importance of TIR and advance standards of care.

The global campaign, ‘It’s Time for Time in Range’, provides TIR education, clinical guidance, expert insights, and resources to healthcare providers – find out more by visiting TIRhub.com. 

The latest study into the impact of the FreeStyle LibreLink app is now available in the Journal of Diabetes Science and Technology.