Recent studies have compared the safety and efficacy of overnight closed loop delivery of insulin (using the Artificial Pancreas) with conventional insulin pump therapy in children and adults with type 1 diabetes. Closed loop delivery of insulin halved the time they spent with low blood glucose levels during testing, indicating the Artificial Pancreas improves overnight control of glucose levels and reduces the risk of nocturnal hypoglycaemia. The studies included nights when the subjects went to bed after eating a large evening meal or having done early evening exercise, both of which are challenging to manage with conventional insulin treatment.
BRC-funded researcher Dr Roman Hovorka comments "Hypoglycaemia remains a major challenge, especially during the night, so it's encouraging to see such promising results from our trial using commercially available devices."
