Type 1 diabetes results from the body's failure to produce insulin, the hormone that "unlocks" the cells of the body, allowing glucose to enter and fuel them. It is an autoimmune disease in which the body views the beta cells (insulin producing cells found in the islets of the pancreas) as a foreign substance, so the patient's immune system attacks the islets and kills them.
Scientists in Cambridge have made a significant step towards developing a so-called “artificial pancreas” system for managing type 1 diabetes in children.
The team has developed and successfully tested a new algorithm, providing a stepping stone to home testing for the artificial pancreas. The new study published on Friday in The Lancet shows that using an artificial pancreas system overnight can significantly reduce the risk of hypoglycemia, when blood glucose levels drop dangerously low, while sleeping.
These so-called “hypos” are a major concern for children and adults with type 1 diabetes. An artificial pancreas system combines a continuous glucose monitor and an insulin pump, both already on the market, and uses a sophisticated algorithm to calculate the appropriate amount of insulin to deliver based on the real-time glucose readings.
As well as obviating the need for multiple daily finger prick tests and insulin injections, the artificial pancreas should offer better control of blood glucose levels overnight. In the new study, 17 children and teenagers aged between five and 18 with type 1 diabetes were studied during 54 nights at Addenbrooke’s Hospital in Cambridge.
For more inforamtion: http://beta.thehindu.com/health/article101631.ece
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