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Novel method developed for estimating insulin sensitivity
Researchers from Italy have developed a novel method for estimating insulin sensitivity in patients with type 1 diabetes on sensor-augmented insulin pump therapy, according to data.
Minimally invasive continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) devices can measure interstitial glucose concentrations in continuous time for up to several days, according to Michele Schiavon, of the department of information engineering at the University of Padova in Italy, and colleagues.
“Insulin sensitivity is an important element in the daily life of patients with type 1 diabetes and could be useful to optimize insulin therapy,” researchers wrote.
They studied 12 patients with type 1 diabetes who wore both subcutaneous insulin pumps and CGM and found that insulin sensitivity was a key parameter of the metabolic status of a patient. This also could be beneficial for improving insulin therapy in patients with type 1 diabetes, researchers wrote.
By using a simple algebraic formulation for each meal, consisting of CGM pump and insulin pump data, they found that the new index of insulin sensitivity was correlated with the oral minimal model (P<10-8). The diurnal pattern also was similar to the oral minimal model, researchers said.
“Future studies involving larger databases that include larger cohorts of subjects studied for a longer time are needed to better define the applicability in free living conditions,” researchers wrote.
Disclosure: The researchers report no relevant financial disclosures.