Artificial Pancreas May Improve Overnight Control of Diabetes in Adults

Researchers from the University of Cambridge have found evidence to suggest that closed loop insulin delivery may help reduce risks of hypoglycemia and may improve overnight blood glucose control in type 1 diabetes patients. As the number of adults with type 1 diabetes steadily climbs at a rate of 3% per year, issues associated with the conditions are also amplified for concern. In these patients, insulin therapy is needed throughout their lives to control glucose levels. Also, the risk of hypoglycemia during the night remains a large obstacle. Recently, the development of a closed loop insulin delivery system has been created to automatically administer insulin doses according to a glucose level sensor. This closed loop insulin delivery system is referred to as an “artificial pancreas.” The researchers of this article decided to explore this “pancreas.” They conducted two experiments of 12 participants each. In both studies, the patients were monitored twice during the night where half of the patients were using closed loop insulin delivery and the other half were using conventional insulin pump therapy. In one experiment, the participants were monitored after a 60g carbohydrate meal at 7pm, and in the other, the participants were monitored after a 100g carbohydrate meal at 8:30pm. They found that the time that glucose levels were at the desired range increased up to 28% in closed loop patients overnight. This therapy also showed to lower overnight variability of glucose blood levels and of hypoglycemic states.

I found this article and its promotion of the use of an “artificial pancreas” very interesting and also promising. Although the studies performed were very small, I believe they showed reason to believe that the closed loop insulin delivery system is potentially effective across a variety of patients. I have two grandparents with diabetes, so I know the importance of glucose monitoring/insulin administering. Because of this, I have also seen the effect of overnight glucose variability. I know that it is a huge problem and concern for these patients, and this study provides hope for future diabetes with hypoglycemic concerns. Once studied further, this therapy could be a solution to many problems for many diabetics.


http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/04/110415083200.htm