Assessment of different techniques for subcutaneous glucose monitoring in Type 1 diabetic patients during 'real-life' glucose excursions

A prolonged run-in period of standard subcutaneous microdialysis ameliorates quality of interstitial glucose signal in patients after major cardiac surgery

We evaluated a standard subcutaneous microdialysis technique for glucose monitoring in two critically ill patient populations and tested whether a prolonged run-in period improves the quality of the interstitial glucose signal. 20 surgical patients after major cardiac surgery (APACHE II score: 10.1 ± 3.2) and 10 medical patients with severe sepsis (APACHE II score: 31.1 ± 4.3) were included in this investigation. A microdialysis catheter was inserted in the subcutaneous adipose tissue of the abdominal region. Interstitial fluid and arterial blood were sampled in hourly intervals to analyse glucose concentrations. Subcutaneous adipose tissue glucose was prospectively calibrated to reference arterial blood either at hour 1 or at hour 6. Median absolute relative difference of glucose (MARD), calibrated at hour 6 (6.2 (2.6; 12.4) %) versus hour 1 (9.9 (4.2; 17.9) %) after catheter insertion indicated a significant improvement in signal quality in patients after major cardiac surgery (p < 0.001). Prolonged run-in period revealed no significant improvement in patients with severe sepsis, but the number of extreme deviations from the blood plasma values could be reduced. Improved concurrence of glucose readings via a 6-hour run-in period could only be achieved in patients after major cardiac surgery.

Periodic extraction of interstitial fluid from the site of subcutaneous insulin infusion for the measurement of glucose: a novel single-port technique for the treatment of type 1 diabetes patients

BACKGROUND

Treatment of type 1 diabetes patients could be simplified if the site of subcutaneous insulin infusion could also be used for the measurement of glucose. This study aimed to assess the agreement between blood glucose concentrations and glucose levels in the interstitial fluid (ISF) that is extracted from the insulin infusion site during periodic short-term interruptions of continuous subcutaneous insulin infusion (CSII).

SUBJECTS AND METHODS

A perforated cannula (24 gauge) was inserted into subcutaneous adipose tissue of C-peptide-negative type 1 diabetes subjects (n=13) and used alternately to infuse rapid-acting insulin (100 U/mL) and to extract ISF glucose during a fasting period and after ingestion of a standard oral glucose load (75 g).

RESULTS

Although periodically interrupted for extracting glucose (every hour for approximately 10 min), insulin infusion with the cannula was adequate to achieve euglycemia during fasting and to restore euglycemia after glucose ingestion. Furthermore, the ISF-derived estimates of plasma glucose levels agreed well with plasma glucose concentrations. Correlation coefficient and median absolute relative difference values were found to be 0.95 and 8.0%, respectively. Error grid analysis showed 99.0% of all ISF glucose values within clinically acceptable Zones A and B (83.5% Zone A, 15.5% Zone B).

CONCLUSIONS

Results show that ISF glucose concentrations measured at the insulin infusion site during periodic short-term interruptions of CSII closely reflect blood glucose levels, thus suggesting that glucose monitoring and insulin delivery may be performed alternately at the same tissue site. A single-port device of this type could be used to simplify and improve glucose management in diabetes.

Use of microneedle array devices for continuous glucose monitoring: a review

Microneedle array devices provide the opportunity to overcome the barrier characteristics of the outermost skin layer, the stratum corneum. This novel technology can be used as a therapeutic tool for transdermal drug delivery, including insulin, or as a diagnostic tool providing access to dermal biofluids, with subsequent analysis of its contents. Over the last decade, the use of microneedle array technology has been the focus of extensive research in the field of transdermal drug delivery. More recently, the diagnostic applications of microneedle technology have been developed. This review summarizes the existing evidence for the use of microneedle array technology as biosensors for continuous monitoring of the glucose content of interstitial fluid, focusing also on mechanics of insertion, microchannel characteristics, and safety profile.

Microdialysis--a versatile technology to perform metabolic monitoring in diabetes and critically ill patients

Continuous subcutaneous glucose monitoring has been tested in type 1 diabetes (T1D). Since in critically ill patients vascular access is granted vascular microdialysis may be preferential. To test this hypothesis comparative accuracy data for microdialysis applied for peripheral venous and subcutaneous glucose monitoring was obtained in experiments in T1D patients. Twelve T1D patients were investigated for up to 30 h. Extracorporeal vascular (MDv) and subcutaneous microdialysis (MDs) was performed. Microdialysis samples were collected in 15-60 min intervals, analyzed for glucose and calibrated to reference. MDv and MDs glucose levels were compared against reference. Median absolute relative difference was 14.0 (5.0; 28.0)% (MDv) and 9.2 (4.4; 18.4)% (MDs). Clarke Error Grid analysis showed that 100% (MDv) and 98.8% (MDv) were within zones A and B. Extracorporeal vascular and standard subcutaneous microdialysis indicated similar performance in T1D. We suggest microdialysis as a versatile technology for metabolite monitoring in subcutaneous tissue and whole blood.

Accuracy performance of the Medtronic NexSensor™ for 6 days in an inpatient setting using abdomen and buttocks insertion sites

BACKGROUND

Users of continuous glucose monitoring are concerned with product accuracy and choice of insertion site. The Medtronic NexSensor™ was evaluated for accuracy during 6 days of wear when inserted in the abdomen and buttocks areas.

METHODS

Adults (ages 18-75) with type 1 diabetes wore two sensors simultaneously for 6 days, one each inserted in the abdomen and buttocks. Subjects underwent a frequent blood sampling study for 12 hours, during which time reference blood glucose values were obtained every 15 minutes and compared to sensor values.

RESULTS

Sixty-three subjects were enrolled, and 61 subjects completed the study. The mean agreement rate between sensor and blood glucose values was 75.5% [95% confidence interval (CI), 69.5, 81.4] at the abdomen site, 73.8% (95% CI, 68.8, 78.8) at the buttocks site, and 75.6% (95% CI, 70.8, 80.4) when sensor and reference data were combined between sites. Over 90% of paired sensor-reference values on Clarke error grids were within the A and B ranges. The mean absolute relative differences were 17.1% at the abdomen site, 16.5% at the buttocks site, and 16.8% when sites were combined.

CONCLUSION

The NexSensor was accurate for inpatient, frequent-sample testing for 6 days when inserted into the abdomen and buttocks. The results of this study also provide evidence that both the abdomen and buttocks are suitable as sensor insertion sites.