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Artificial pancreas improves glucose control for range of real-life situations
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ADA 70th Scientific Sessions
ORLANDO — Research on the artificial pancreas continues to gain ground in an effort to control blood glucose levels in patients with type 1 diabetes. New data presented here indicated that overnight levels can be controlled without increasing the risk for hypoglycemia across a wide range of real-life situations, including after eating a large meal and drinking a glass of wine.
Roman Hovorka, MD, presented new data on 12 adults with type 1 diabetes who used a closed-loop artificial pancreas system compared with conventional insulin pump therapy while hospitalized.
According to the results, improvements in glucose control and incidence of hypoglycemia remained consistent even after a large meal that included more than 100 g of carbohydrates and a glass of white wine before bedtime. Using the artificial pancreas system, these adults spent 70% of their time within the target blood glucose range of 3.9 mmol/L to 8 mmol/L, up from 47% of the time they spent within target overnight without use of the artificial pancreas system.
Time spent in hypoglycemia was reduced, despite alcohol’s effect on increasing risk for nocturnal/next-morning hypoglycemia. No episodes of severe hypoglycemia occurred in the artificial pancreas group vs. one episode with insulin pump therapy.
“We believe that the currently available systems can be put to better use when they are combined together into a closed loop,” Hovorka, of the Diabetes Modeling Group and department of pediatrics at University of Cambridge, said at a press conference.
The artificial pancreas technology combines continuous glucose monitoring with an insulin pump and a sophisticated computer program, called an algorithm, that can automate when and how much insulin to deliver.
Earlier this year, Hovorka’s group published data demonstrating that children and teenagers with type 1 diabetes also achieved improved glucose control and experienced fewer hypoglycemic episodes with a closed-loop artificial pancreas system.
Preliminary research, Hovorka noted, has begun exploring the use of a closed-loop artificial pancreas system for pregnant women with type 1 diabetes.
“The promise of these new technologies is not only to significantly reduce the risk of long-term diabetic complications, but also to reduce the risk of having a catastrophic hypoglycemic event and, furthermore, to help people with diabetes live easier, “Aaron Kowalski, PhD, research director of the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation Artificial Pancreas Project, said. – by Matthew Brannon
Dr. Hovorka’s work with the artificial pancreas is showing us what is available now. We have an amazing use for this technology in the present and he is doing research to show us that in the future, these devices are only going to get better. He is conducting studies in the hospital now, but soon he will be able to do closed-loop or artificial pancreas work in the outpatient setting.
– Richard Bergenstal, MD
Executive
Director of the International Diabetes Center,
American Diabetes Association President, Medicine and Science
For more information:
- Hovorka R. Joint ADA/JDRF Symposium.. Presented at: American Diabetes Association 70th Scientific Sessions; June 25-29, 2010; Orlando.
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