1st International Conference On Advanced Technologies And Treatments For Diabetes

The inaugural International Conference on Advanced Technologies and Treatments for Diabetes (ATTD), was held in Prague, Czech Republic, at the end of February and was attended by over 700 registrants from more than 50 countries. Our own, Dr. Ian Blumer was there to get the latest details on the progress of a closed loop diabetes management system and all the other news.

If you were interested in evolving technologies and treatments for diabetes – particularly type 1 diabetes – then Prague was the place to be this week.  The inaugural International Conference on Advanced Technologies and Treatments for Diabetes (ATTD), held in this magnificent capital city of the Czech Republic, was attended by over 700 registrants from over 50 countries.

A centre-piece of the conference was the presentation of current research on closed-loop insulin delivery; the holy grail – short of a cure – for type 1 diabetes.  The good: Rapid progress is being made toward having a safe, reliable and effective closed-loop system.  The Bad: satisfactory post-prandial control remains elusive and carbohydrate counting and user-triggered insulin bolusing will be necessary; at least for early generation closed-loop systems.  Expect the first closed-loop system to be limited to automatic insulin shut off during periods of hypoglycemia followed by the introduction of nocturnal-only automated systems.  These are, of course, not inconsequential achievements.

Dr. Aaron Kowalski gave an impassioned and captivating update on the JDRF Artificial Pancreas Project (www.jdrf.org/index.cfm?page_id=104576), a JDRF-led initiative to “accelerate the availability of a safe, effective, and FDA-approved” closed-loop automated insulin-delivery system.  Dr. William Tamborlane provided an update on the JDRF Sensor Study (https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct/show/NCT00406133?order=1); a large randomized study which hopefully will definitively establish if real-time continuous glucose monitoring, compared to standard self-monitoring, can improve glycemic control.  (Something that I, based on my own empirical observations, believe to be true, but having evidence-based support for these sentiments will be most welcome.  Now on the other hand if the study is negative…; hmm.  Oh well, I’ll cross that bridge when I come to it.)

Several lectures discussed the possible significance of glycemic variability; a subject upon which much more light will likely be shed in the near future as continuous glucose monitoring becomes increasingly commonplace (though, see the preceding paragraph).

Dr. Francine Kaufman delivered, as always, an outstanding address as she provided a reality-check at this technology-driven conference, presenting results showing that state-of-the-art treatment innovations are not confined to expensive hardware or pharmaceuticals; her recent studies reveal how community-based, (micro-) societal change can not only be made, but can favourably impact on lifestyle and, in particular, food choices and levels of physical activity.

An intriguing session was held on the (beautifully and intriguingly-named) P. Cezanne project (www.p-cezanne.eu) whose main objective is to “research and develop a novel implantable long-term nano-sensor for continuous blood glucose monitoring.”   Why stick your finger or insert a mechanical sensor when you can have an autonomous, bio-sensor inside you?  Way cool, but don’t look for it on the shelves of your local 7-11 anytime soon.

If you missed this year’s meeting, you might consider attending next year’s conference to be held in Athens, February 25-29, 2009.

Ian Blumer

Dr. Ian Blumer is a diabetes specialist in Toronto, Canada.  His web site is www.ourdiabetes.com.  His recently created video for people considering insulin pump and glucose sensing technologies can be found at www.drblumervideo.com.