As some of the old timers will recall, I was in the first
batch of humans implanted with a continuous glucose sensor
with a radio link to a belt receiver. Few, if any, of the
first batch were successful due to what were, in retrospect,
silly mistakes in implant procedure. That is why you have to
actually do the tests. I heard that the results in the
second batch were very good. Posted below is the abstract of
a paper which I believe to be based on that second batch.
Before you read it and get too excited, here are the results
of a poll take at a Diabetes Technology Meeting where they
had been presented with the results of the trial. Nobody
should be holding their breath for quick implementation of a
closed loop system, the eventual goal.
diabetes123.comd 0j 129.htmOpen ↗
__________ Quote start___________ In the final session of
the conference, participants were asked to vote, using a hand-
held electronic voting device, on several questions related
to diabetes and technology. When asked when an artificial
pancreas would be available for widespread clinical use, the
results of the voting was:
2 years - 1% 4 years - 12% 6 years - 25% 10 years - 45%
Never - 17%
Panel members overseeing the voting session felt more
optimistic, generally feeling that some sort of continuous
sensor control of a pump was about six years away from
clinical availability. _______________Quote
End__________________
Diabetes Care. 2004 Mar;27(3):734-8.
Improved glucose excursions using an implantable real-time
continuous glucose sensor in adults with type 1 diabetes.
Garg SK, Schwartz S, Edelman SV.
Department of Medicine and Pediatrics, Barbara Davis Center
for Childhood Diabetes, University of Colorado Health
Sciences Center, Denver, Colorado 80262, USA.
[email hidden]
OBJECTIVE: The capability of emerging glucose sensor
technology to continuously monitor glucose levels may
provide ways to achieve glycemic targets while reducing
hypoglycemia. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS: A first-
generation, long-term continuous glucose sensor (DexCom, San
Diego, CA) was implanted subcutaneously in 15 patients with
type 1 diabetes. Safety, efficacy, and potential benefits
were evaluated during a blinded control period and in a
study period during which patients had real-time access to
the glucose data. RESULTS: The bias differences between self-
monitored blood glucose (SMBG) and sensor data were <15% at
2.8, 4.4, 5.6, 8.3, and 11.1 mmol/l. No procedure or device-
related adverse events were observed. Of 15 patients, 13
(87%) had functional sensors during the 12-h simulated home
use study with 96% of points in the A and B regions of the
Clarke error grid, an R value of 0.88, and a mean absolute
relative difference of 16% when retrospectively compared
with SMBG. In actual home use, during the blinded control
period (50 +/- 16 days) data were not displayed to the
patient, whereas during the unblinded study period (44 +/-
17 days) the data were presented to the patient, and alerts
were set at 3.1, 5.6, and 11.1 mmol/l. Patients spent a
median of 47% less time below 3.1 mmol/l (P<0.05) and 25%
less time above
13.3 mmol/l (P<0.05) during the nonblinded study period
compared with the blinded control period. CONCLUSIONS:
The availability of real-time continuous glucose values
may help patients reduce their hyperglycemic excursions
and lower the risk of hypoglycemia.
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Charly Coughran [email hidden]