Continuous glucose monitoring indices predict poor FEV1 recovery following cystic fibrosis pulmonary exacerbations

•Glycemic indices are highest during the first week of pulmonary exacerbation and plateau after 4 weeks.•Dysglycemia during pulmonary exacerbations in adult cystic fibrosis patients is associated with poorer ppFEV1 recovery.•There was no association observed between cystic fibrosis related diabetes diagnosis and ppFEV1 recovery.•Optimization of glycemic control in patients with cystic fibrosis related diabetes may positively influence lung function recovery. Little is known about the effect of dysglycemia during cystic fibrosis pulmonary exacerbation (PEx) on recovery of FEV1 percentage predicted (ppFEV1) Continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) was commenced at the time of admission to hospital for PEx and continued for 6 weeks. The CGM indices, percentage of time glucose greater than 7.8 mmol/L (%T>7.8) and mean glucose were evaluated as predictors of absolute ppFEV1 change following treatment of PEx. Of the 20 participants who completed the study 13 (65%) had cystic fibrosis related diabetes (CFRD). The mean of both CGM indices were highest during the first week of pulmonary exacerbation and continued to decline over the first 4 weeks at which point they plateaued. Using multivariate regression models, factors which were predictive of maximum attained ppFEV1 change over 6 weeks were %T>7.8, mean glucose, HbA1c and preadmission ppFEV1 change from baseline. These relationships were independent of a diagnosis of CFRD, which was not associated with ppFEV1 recovery. In a longitudinal model of ppFEV1 change at weeks 1, 2 and 6, the CGM index %T>7.8 approached significance as a predictive variable. Hyperglycemia during PEx in adult CF patients is associated with poorer ppFEV1 recovery. Conversely, there was no association observed between CFRD diagnosis and ppFEV1 improvement, suggesting that optimization of glycemic control in CFRD patients may positively influence recovery of lung function. Further clinical trials are required to evaluate the merits of intensive glycemic control in CFRD during PEx.