Blood sugar monitoring is a routine process for diabetic patients, involving taking multiple levels daily to optimize their insulin levels.
This involves taking blood via finger prick to be applied on a strip glucometer, and is a painful and invasive procedure that a large majority of people avoid hence leading to a poor blood sugar control.
This might change in the near future thanks to a prototype device that is undergoing testing & has some outstanding results.
The prototype blood glucose monitoring device is non-invasive, pain free and needle free method of continuous blood sugar monitoring with results at par with conventional methods. It consists of two wearable pieces which are a glove and a wrist band, and utilizes electromagnetic waves, when blood sugar levels vary in blood the blood chemical composition changes, these changes are detected by the electromagnetic waves signals passing through blood vessels reflected back to the sensors, to be finally translated to accurate blood sugar levels.
These findings were published in science advance, with early trials having encouraging results.
According to the co-author Joseph Constantine “A non-invasive continuous system will allow us to follow closely on glycemic variations leading to better and more comfortable diabetes management. Checking your glucose level becomes as simple as checking your phone.”
To validate their needle-less continuous monitoring system, the researchers recruited 21 healthy volunteers who were asked to wear the devices while undergoing three separate oral glucose tolerance tests. The actual glucose measurements were highly correlated with the device’s readings, without any time lag, Constantine and his colleagues report.
The device’s sensors are not limited to use in a glove and a wrist band, but can be placed in other wearable accessories, Constantine said. “For example, a glove and an arm-band can be used by a sports-person, a sock by a child, and a necklace by an adult on an outing,” he added. “In the future we envision integrating similar sensors in various types of apparel which vary in size.”
Non-invasive blood sugar monitoring devices will be a game changer for diabetic patients & their doctors to achieve the desired glycemic goals in a more accessible way. Researchers are positive, a final version of this device will soon be available in market.
SOURCE: www.bit.ly/2XUFiXL Science Advances, online June 10, 2020.
