Background
Women with pre-existing diabetes mellitus are at higher risk of preterm labour and they may require the use of steroids for fetal lung maturation. It is known that steroids induce significant hyperglycemia. The degree of hyperglycemia induced by steroid use is exacerbated by the state of insulin resistance in pregnancy. Women who received steroids would typically be under regular blood glucose monitoring to ensure optimal peri-partum glycemic control. This typically involves frequent capillary blood glucose monitoring every one to two hourly, coupled with insulin administration to maintain optimal glycemia.
Aim
We evaluated the potential use and accuracy of flash glucose monitoring and continuous glucose monitoring in women with pre-existing diabetes mellitus who received steroids for fetal lung maturation. A total of two patients were recruited in this study and we compared their blood glucose levels measured by flash glucose monitoring device, continuous glucose monitoring device, and capillary blood glucose meter, against the venous blood glucose levels.
Results
There were significant differences between the blood glucose readings obtained from flash glucose monitoring, continuous glucose monitoring, capillary glucose monitoring and the gold standard of venous blood glucose.
Conclusion
There is likely a role for the use of flash glucose monitoring and continuous glucose monitoring devices for women with pre-exisiting diabetes mellitus who require steroids for fetal lung maturation. However, it may be more useful to look at the glucose trend from these devices, rather than they be used as a replacement for capillary blood glucose monitoring. Further studies should be performed to evaluate the use of these devices in more detail.