The bionic pancreas is one of the biggest hopes of improving the quality of life of people with type 1 diabetes. Although their name makes them seem like science fiction devices, their development is quite advanced. They have now passed an important test in the form of a clinical trial.

A pocket organ.
As the name suggests, the bionic pancreas does not require a transplant. These are small electrical devices that are slightly smaller than a dual function phone. First of all, it monitors blood sugar levels. It collects and processes this information at regular intervals. When the computer observes a mismatch in glucose levels, the device’s second function comes into play: calculate the insulin needed to readjust glucose levels and pump it into the patient’s body.

Randomized trial.
A study led by a team of researchers grouped around the Bionic Pancreas Research Group has published the results of a clinical trial in which they analyzed the efficacy and safety of these devices.

The study, published in The New England Journal of Medicine, included 326 patients, two-thirds randomly assigned to the treatment group and the remaining one-third to the control group. The latter continued their usual treatment, while the treatment group began using the bionic pancreas.

Those using the new setup saw their glycosylated hemoglobin levels drop (a measurement that remained stable in the control group) and their glucose levels remained in the normal range for more of the day.

hyperglycemia
During the study, although there were no cases of diabetic ketoacidosis occurring after long periods with low insulin levels, neither in the experimental group nor in the control group, the team observed more cases of hyperglycemia, i.e. elevated blood glucose levels. These cases were mainly recorded in the experimental group.

Less common diabetes.
Type 1 diabetes is much less common than type 2, but is estimated to affect around 90,000 people in Spain alone. Today it is not known why this disease is released, but it is characterized by the destruction of beta cells of the pancreas, the cells responsible for producing the insulin that our metabolic system needs so that it can take advantage of glucose.

It usually precedes type 2 diabetes, so it affects younger people. In this sense, the clinical trial covered a broad age range from six to 79 years old.

“Our study shows that advanced bionic pancreatic technology manages blood sugar better than current methods to deliver this substance to participants of all ages, from adults to six-year-olds,” said Nelly Mauras, one of the studio’s lead researchers.

Image | NIH