The Impact of Ramadan on Glycemic Control: Effect on Glycemic Variability and Metrics of Glycemic Management Derived from Continuous Glucose Monitoring

• Published in: Chronicle of Diabetes Research and Practice Vol. 4; no. 2; pp. 80 - 85
• Main Authors: Wahbi, Salma, Moumen, Amal, Benabdelfdil, Yousra, Derrou, Sara, El Guendouz, Faycal
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: India Wolters Kluwer - Medknow 01.07.2025
• Edition: 2
• Subjects: Brief Communication; Continuous glucose monitoring; glycemic variability; glycemic control; Ramadan; hypoglycemia
• ISSN: 2773-1316; 2773-1324
• DOI: 10.4103/cdrp.cdrp_1_25

Introduction: Fasting during Ramadan alters dietary habits and metabolic balance, potentially affecting glycemic control in people with diabetes. This study aimed to assess the impact of Ramadan on metrices and glycemic variability parameters using continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) in patients with diabetes, irrespective of their diabetes type or fasting status. Methods: This was a prospective and analytical study conducted in the Endocrinology Department of a Military Hospital in Morocco during Ramadan 2024. We included patients with diabetes equipped with CGM who had received specialized Ramadan education. In addition to demographic and anamnesis data, we compared two ambulatory glucose profile reports, one before Ramadan and another immediately after. The parameters compared were: mean glucose index, glucose management indicator, time in range, time above range, time below range, coefficient of variation, standard deviation, mean amplitude of glycemic excursions, mean daily differences, the number and duration of hypoglycemic episodes, CGM composite index, and glycemic risk index. Results: Eighteen patients were included, with a mean age of 43 years and a mean glycated hemoglobin of 6.9%. Eight patients chose to fast. No impact of Ramadan was observed on CGM-derived glycemic management parameters, regardless of the type of diabetes or the patients' decision to fast. Conclusion: Our study suggests that CGM use combined with specialized Ramadan education may counterbalance the known impact of this month on glycemic control and variability.