New study shows artificial pancreas works for length of entire school term

sc604 — Thu, 17 Sep 2015 15:45:00 +0000

An artificial pancreas given to children and adults with type 1 diabetes going about their daily lives has been proven to work for 12 weeks – meaning the technology, developed at the ̽��ֱ�� of Cambridge, can now offer a whole school term of extra freedom for children with the condition.

Artificial pancreas trials for people at home, work and school have previously been limited to short periods of time. But a study, published today in the New England Journal of Medicine, saw the technology safely provide three whole months of use, bringing us closer to the day when the wearable, smartphone-like device can be made available to patients.

̽��ֱ��lives of the 400,000 UK people with type 1 diabetes currently involves a relentless balancing act of controlling their blood glucose levels by finger-prick blood tests and taking insulin via injections or a pump. But the artificial pancreas sees tight blood glucose control achieved automatically.

This latest Cambridge study showed the artificial pancreas significantly improved control of blood glucose levels among participants – lessening their risk of hypoglycaemia. Known as ‘having a hypo,’ hypoglycaemia is a drop in blood glucose levels that can be highly dangerous and is what people with type 1 diabetes hate most.

Susan Walls is mother to Daniel Walls, a 12-year-old with type 1 diabetes who has taken part in the trial. She said: “Daniel goes back to school this month after the summer holidays – so it’s a perfect time to hear this wonderful news that the artificial pancreas is proving reliable, offering a whole school term of support.

“ ̽��ֱ��artificial pancreas could change my son’s life, and the lives of so many others. Daniel has absolutely no hypoglycaemia awareness at night. His blood glucose levels could be very low and he wouldn’t wake up. ̽��ֱ��artificial pancreas could give me the peace of mind that I’ve been missing.”

“ ̽��ֱ��data clearly demonstrate the benefits of the artificial pancreas when used over several months,” said Dr Roman Hovorka, Director of Research at the ̽��ֱ��’s Metabolic Research Laboratories, who developed the artificial pancreas. “We have seen improved glucose control and reduced risk of unwanted low glucose levels.”

̽��ֱ��Cambridge study is being funded by JDRF, the type 1 diabetes charity. Karen Addington, Chief Executive of JDRF, said: “JDRF launched its goal of perfecting the artificial pancreas in 2006. These results today show that we are thrillingly close to what will be a breakthrough in medical science.”

Reference:
Thabit, Hood et al. ‘Free-living Home Use of an Artificial Beta Cell in Type 1 Diabetes.’ New England Journal of Medicine (2015). DOI: 10.1056/NEJMoa1509351

Adapted from a JDRF press release.

Technology assisting people with type 1 diabetes edges closer to perfection.

̽��ֱ��data clearly demonstrate the benefits of the artificial pancreas when used over several months

Roman Hovorka

Study participant Daniel Walls, 12

̽��ֱ��text in this work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License. For image use please see separate credits above.

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Artificial pancreas promise for common diabetes complication

gm349 — Fri, 15 Apr 2011 11:26:10 +0000

Hypoglycaemia (or a ‘hypo’) occurs when the level of glucose in the blood falls too low. If left untreated the person having a hypo can eventually become unconscious after experiencing warning signs as the body tries to raise the blood glucose level. These unpleasant signs often include feeling shaky, sweating, tingling in the lips, heart pounding, and irritability. In extreme cases hypoglycaemia can lead to coma and brain damage, and can sometimes prove fatal.

̽��ֱ��‘artificial pancreas’ or closed-loop insulin delivery system automatically manages a person’s diabetes. ̽��ֱ��device regulates blood glucose levels by releasing insulin when alerted to high levels of glucose, and withholding it when levels are low. Currently people with Type 1 diabetes have to either inject insulin several times a day or wear an insulin pump² which releases the hormone via a cannula inserted under the skin.

̽��ֱ�� of Cambridge researcher Dr Roman Hovorka led two studies to evaluate the performance of the artificial pancreas in 10 men and 14 women, aged 18 to 65, who had used an insulin pump for at least three months.

̽��ֱ��first study monitored 12 participants overnight after consuming a medium-sized meal (60 g carbohydrate) at 7pm. In the second study, the other 12 participants were monitored overnight after consuming a larger meal (100 g carbohydrate) accompanied by alcohol at 8.30pm.

̽��ֱ��studies showed a 22 per cent improvement in the time participants kept their blood glucose levels in a safe range, halving the time they spent with low blood glucose levels and reducing the risk of both short term and long term complications.

Dr Hovorka said: “Hypoglycaemia remains a major challenge, especially during the night, so it’s encouraging to see such promising results from our trial using commercially available devices.

“ ̽��ֱ��study is a stepping stone to testing the artificial pancreas at home and suggests that the artificial pancreas may be suitable in adults as well as in children and adolescents we found previously.”

Diabetes UK Director of Research Dr Iain Frame said: “Although early days, this exciting area of research is a fantastic example of how existing technologies, in this case, insulin pumps and continuous glucose monitors, can be adapted and developed. ̽��ֱ��improvements in glucose control overnight using this new technology are impressive and it is good to see this work develop with the addition of testing the effects following a meal with some wine.

“We now need to see an extension of this study, one which tests larger numbers of people, and then take it out of the hospital and in to the home setting.”

̽��ֱ��research was published in the British Medical Journal today, 15 April.

Cambridge research funded by the health charity Diabetes UK has for the first time successfully demonstrated the potential of an ‘artificial pancreas’ in preventing night-time hypoglycaemia in adults with Type 1 diabetes.

Hypoglycaemia remains a major challenge, especially during the night, so it’s encouraging to see such promising results from our trial using commercially available devices.

Dr Roman Hovorka

Diabetes UK

Artificial pancreas: 1. Glucose levels monitored continuously 2. Required insulin dose calculated 3. Insulin does delivered automatically

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̽��ֱ�� of Cambridge - pancreas

New study shows artificial pancreas works for length of entire school term

Artificial pancreas promise for common diabetes complication