Abstract

AN ARTIFICIAL PANCREAS

Devkar Nilesh Balkrishna*

ABSTRACT

Artificial pancreas (AP) is a device used for automated modulation of insulin infusion that aims to maintain content of blood glucose in a nearly normal range. Artificial pancreas is a controlled algorithm, which is in charge to computing an effective insulin dose on the basis of continuous glucose to monitoring readings. In the previous 6 years, AP prototypes based on subcutaneous glucose sensing and subcutaneous insulin delivery has been extensively studied in the clinical trials first on hospitalized patients and, more recently, in an outpatient setting. In this content we review the state of the art of the field, starting with a description of the various AP system components. In particular, we focus on the control techniques employed in the AP and on the principles on which they are based. AP testing: in the preclinical stages (mostly done by silico), the inpatient clinical studies and finally the outpatient studies.

Keywords: Blood-glucose regulation, Diabetes, Diabetes management, Assessment of glycaemic control, Insulin therapy, Spectroscopy.