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Bionic pancreas effective in home setting for reducing glucose, hypoglycemia
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NEW ORLEANS — Use of a bionic pancreas was associated with reductions in mean glucose and hypoglycemia compared with conventional insulin pump therapy, when used in the home setting by adults with type 1 diabetes.
“This was our first true home-study,” Edward R. Damiano, PhD, professor of biomedical engineering at Boston University, said during a presentation at the American Diabetes Association Scientific Sessions. “All participants lived at home and went to work, and there were no restrictions on diet or exercise.”
Edward R. Damiano
Damiano and colleagues sought to determine the efficacy of continuous, multi-day, automated glycemic control using a bihormonal bionic pancreas compared with conventional insulin pump therapy in adults with type 1 diabetes living at home and performing normal activities. Glycemic regulation was compared between the bionic pancreas and insulin pump over 11 days each in all participants. During the bionic pancreas period, continuous glucose monitor (CGM) data were used by an autonomous adaptive algorithm to control subcutaneous insulin and glucagon delivery. During the pump period, patients managed their own conventional insulin pump therapy.
The mean reduction in glucose level was 162 mg/dL with the bionic pancreas compared with 141 mg/dL with the insulin pump (P < .0001). The bionic pancreas was also associated with greater reductions in time less than 60 mg/dL by CGM (1.9% vs. 0.6%; P < .0001).
In other results, the mean number of symptomatic hypoglycemia events was lower with the bionic pancreas: 0.59 events per day compared with 0.6 events per day (P = .023). The mean total daily dose of insulin was 6% greater with the bionic pancreas compared with the insulin pump (P = .01). – by Amber Cox
Reference:
Elkhatib F, et al. 77-OR. Presented at: American Diabetes Association Scientific Sessions; June 10-14, 2016; New Orleans.
Disclosure: Damiano reports financial ties with Beta Bionics.