An Artificial Pancreas Helps Treat Type 1 Diabetes

Could an external artificial pancreas improve glucose control and reduce the risk of hypoglycemia when compared to conventional diabetes treatments? Researchers at the University of Montreal's Department of Nutrition are working on a clinical trial that's comparing three alternative treatments for type 1 diabetes.

The external artificial pancreas works as an automated system that stimulates the normal pancreas by continuously adapting insulin delivery based on changes in glucose levels.

"Our clinical trial was the first to compare these two configurations of the artificial pancreas with the conventional diabetes treatment using an insulin pump," said Dr. Rabasa-Lhoret, Director of the Obesity, Metabolism and Diabetes research clinic at the IRCM and professor at the University of Montreal's Department of Nutrition, in the press release. "We wanted to determine the usefulness of glucagon in the artificial pancreas, especially to preventhypoglycemia, which remains the major barrier to reaching glycemic targets."

"Our study confirms that both artificial pancreas systems improve glucose control and reduce the risk of hypoglycemia compared to conventional pump therapy," explained engineer Ahmad Haidar, first author of the study. "In addition, we found that the dual-hormone artificial pancreas provides additional reduction in hypoglycemia compared to the single-hormone system."

More information regarding the findings can be seen via the journal The Lancet Diabetes & Endocrinology.