What Role Might There Be for Continuous Glucose Monitoring in the Assessment of Diabetes Risk?

The term "prediabetes" has traditionally been used to describe the state of abnormal glucose homeostasis (dysglycemia) that could eventually lead to developing clinical type 2 diabetes. The HbA1c, oral glucose tolerance testing, and fasting glucose measurements represent the standard approaches for assessing risk. However, they do not predict with complete accuracy, nor do they provide individualized risk assessment to determine who will develop diabetes. Use of continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) provides a more complete picture of inter- and intraday glucose excursions that may help clinicians and patients quickly identify dysglycemia and make informed personalized intervention decisions. This article discusses the utility of CGM as a tool for both risk assessment and risk management.