Artificial pancreas could regulate blood sugar, find experts

Researchers from Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston and Boston University, U.S., created a system made of glucose monitor, two pumps and a laptop to imitate the body’s natural mechanism to control blood sugar.

Lead researcher, Dr. Steven Russell, Massachusetts General Hospital said, “The finding is the latest in what has become a race to develop a fully functioning artificial pancreas that can give patients with type 1 diabetes an automated way to control their blood sugar.”

Trials conducted on 11 diabetics
Scientists conducted trials of the software for artificial pancreas on 11 diabetics at the Massachusetts General Hospital.

The trial went on for 27 hours during which the subjects were given three carbohydrate-rich meals and were made to sleep throughout the night. Their blood sugar readings were observed every five minutes.

Initially the test revealed that the system was efficient in controlling blood sugar levels of six subjects for 27 hours.

However, other five patients were not able to respond to insulin as the computer continued to infuse medicine which resulted in low blood sugar.

Nevertheless, with repeated experiments the blood sugar levels of all patients were controlled by the researchers as they adjusted the computer program to reduce insulin absorption rate.

Working of the pump
The artificial endocrine pancreas that uses existing diabetic technology is a double pump with insulin in it.

It mechanically produces glucagon--a hormone that utilizes glucose reserves in the liver and avoids hypoglycemia--condition caused due to reduction in blood sugar levels, by raising them.

According to the researchers, the glucose monitor is inserted into patient’s vein and the program collects data and calculates artificial insulin dosages to be given to the patient.

Study collaborator, Edward Damiano, biomedical engineer, Boston University said, “We’re bringing back to people with Type 1 diabetes not only the proper amount of insulin dosed correctly into the right amount, but also this ability to provide a little bit of glucagon after meals, if the insulin dosing turned out to be a little excessive.”

“So it really prevents you from going low, and that’s its main function,” added Damiano.

The researcher also estimated that the system would be commercially available within five to seven years.

The study appears in the journal Science Translational Medicine.