Objective. To determine whether real-time continuous glucose monitoring (CGM), with preset alarms at specific glucose levels would prove a useful tool to achieve avoidance of hypoglycemia and improve the counterregulatory response to hypoglycemia in adolescents with type 1 diabetes with hypoglycemia unawareness.

Research design and methods. Adolescents with type 1 diabetes with hypoglycemia unawareness underwent hyperinsulinemic hypoglycemic clamp studies at baseline to determine their counterregulatory hormone responses to hypoglycemia. Subjects were then randomised to either standard therapy or real-time CGM for 4 weeks. The clamp study was then repeated.

Results. The epinephrine response during hypoglycemia after the intervention was greater in the CGM group compared to standard therapy.

Conclusions. A greater epinephrine response during hypoglycemia suggests that real-time CGM is a useful clinical tool to improve hypoglycemia unawareness in adolescents with type 1 diabetes.