New Metric Offers Another Way to Track Blood Sugar Control With Insulin Pumps

The Glycemia Risk Index, or GRI, is a relatively new metric that pulls information directly from continuous glucose monitors to paint a picture of blood sugar patterns. Unlike some older measures, GRI is designed to be straightforward and easier to interpret, making it more accessible for people managing type 1 diabetes in their daily lives.

Researchers wanted to better understand how GRI performs in real-world settings, particularly in people using the most advanced insulin pumps available—systems that can adjust insulin delivery automatically based on CGM readings. These are called advanced hybrid closed-loop (AHCL) systems.

This was a real-world, retrospective study of 65 adults with type 1 diabetes using two types of advanced hybrid closed-loop systems: the MiniMed 780G (45 people) and the Tandem t:slim X2 IQ (20 people). Researchers tracked GRI and other blood sugar metrics over a 24-month period as part of routine clinical care at a single center.

Throughout the 24-month observation period, GRI improved consistently, reflecting sustained improvement in overall glycemic control. At both the 12-month and 24-month marks, higher baseline GRI scores were linked to higher A1C levels—a standard measure of long-term blood sugar control—and to lower time spent in tight range.

These associations suggest that GRI captures meaningful information about blood sugar patterns and may help predict how well someone's diabetes is controlled over the long term.

The findings suggest that GRI could be a useful addition to the tools doctors and patients already use to assess diabetes control. Rather than replacing existing metrics, GRI appears to work best as a complementary measure—offering another perspective on how well blood sugar is being managed.

For people using advanced automated insulin pumps, having another readily understandable metric may make it easier to track progress and discuss diabetes management with their healthcare team. However, this was a single-center study, so more research in diverse populations would help confirm these results in broader real-world use.

Source: Endocrine. Evidence type: PubMed indexed literature. Type1Cure is an information and intelligence hub, not a medical advice service. This article summarizes published research and does not provide diagnosis, treatment, or personal medical guidance. Always talk to your own care team before changing anything about your Type 1 diabetes management.