The first place was taken by two-hormone diabetes therapy
Scientists from the University and the Institute of Clinical Research of Montreal Institut de recherches cliniques de Montreal (IRCM), working under the guidance of Professor Remi Rabasa-Lhoret, conducted a unique clinical study in which they compared the effectiveness of three alternative methods of treatment of type 1 diabetes mellitus: two variants of an external artificial "pancreas" and an insulin pump that delivers insulin to the patient's body at a constant rate.
Artificial pancreas – the latest development in the field of type 1 diabetes mellitus therapy – is an automated system that takes over the function of the affected organ by continuously regulating the release of insulin based on changes in the concentration of glucose in the patient's blood.
This device exists in two configurations: one-hormone and two-hormone, releasing only insulin or insulin and glucagon, respectively. The function of insulin is to lower blood glucose levels, whereas glucagon has the opposite effect.
A randomized clinical trial involved 30 patients over the age of 12 with type 1 diabetes mellitus. During the study period, participants visited the clinic three times. Each 24-hour visit, during which the patients' blood glucose levels were monitored using one of the three tested approaches, included 3 meals, social activity chosen by the participant, evening exercises, a snack before bedtime and a night's sleep. During the entire period, constant monitoring of blood glucose levels was carried out.
The aim of the study was not only to compare the effectiveness of an artificial pancreas and an insulin pump, but also to determine the feasibility of using two-hormone therapy.
The results obtained confirmed a significantly higher quality of blood glucose control provided by an artificial pancreas compared to an insulin pump. Moreover, it turned out that the use of glucagon in combination with insulin further reduces the likelihood of episodes of hypoglycemia, especially dangerous at night.
The researchers plan to conduct longer clinical trials of artificial pancreas on larger cohorts of patients. They expect that the technology will appear on the medical market within the next 5-7 years, while the first versions of the device will be designed for night use.
Article by Ahmad Haidar et al. Comparison of dual-hormone artificial pancreas, single-hormone artificial pancreas, and conventional insulin pump therapy for glycaemic control in patients with type 1 diabetes: an open-label randomized controlled crossover trial published in the journal The Lancet Diabetes & Endocrinology.
Evgeniya Ryabtseva
Portal "Eternal youth" http://vechnayamolodost.ru based on the materials of the University of Montreal:
Artificial pancreas shown to improve the treatment of type 1 diabetes.
28.11.2014