Bionic pancreas system successfully controls blood sugar without risk of hypoglycemia

[Northerner]

The bionic pancreas system developed by Boston University (BU) investigators proved better than either conventional or sensor-augmented insulin pump therapy at managing blood sugar levels in patients with type 1 diabetes living at home, with no restrictions, over 11 days. The report of a clinical trial led by a Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) physician is receiving advance online publication in The Lancet.


"For study participants living at home without limitations on their activity and diet, the bionic pancreas successfully reduced average blood glucose, while at the same time decreasing the risk of hypoglycemia," says Steven Russell, MD, PhD, of the MGH Diabetes Unit. "This system requires no information other than the patient's body weight to start, so it will require much less time and effort by health care providers to initiate treatment. And since no carbohydrate counting is required, it significantly reduces the burden on patients associated with diabetes management."

http://medicalxpress.com/news/2016-12-bionic-pancreas-successfully-blood-sugar.html

 

[mikeyB]

Wow, this could lead to idiot-proofing T1 diabetes control. The limitations would be the accuracy of cgm readings, though I suspect they will be accurate enough. It doesn't sound like it would be particularly expensive to commercialise this system either. I'd better get myself a pump PDQ in anticipation of a quest for volunteers.🙂

 

[Matt Cycle]

Matt Cycle, (would be) astronaut. A man barely alive (bit harsh but I do liven up a bit later in the day). Gentlemen, we can rebuild him. We have the technology. We have the capability to build the world's first man with a bionic pancreas. Matt Cycle will be that man. Better than he was before. Better, stronger, faster.

 

[mikeyB]

Me first, kid. I'm more expendable

 

[Flower]

Out the way you two, ladies first 😉😛

 

[mikeyB]

Fair enough Flower, you're two steps ahead already. If you get picked first, you will drop a couple of names, won't you?

 

[HOBIE]

Me Me Me ! 😎. It is coming 😎

 

[khskel]

Sounds promising

 

[trophywench]

I'm right behind you, Flower and have sharpened my elbows already to keep the chaps out of the way for as long as I can. May bring a claw hammer with me too just in case ....

Just wondrin though, what is the significance of 11 days?

ie Why?

 

[mikeyB]

Maybe that's how long the sensors last, and they only had the money to stump up for one cycle.

 

[grovesy]

I suspect it is the lifespan of the sensor.

 

[trophywench]

Hadn't thought of that - just seemed a very odd span.

 

[grovesy]

Most of the other sensors seem to have a 14 day life span.