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An artificial pancreas, AKA a closed-loop delivery system, significantly improves overnight glycemic control and reduces nocturnal hypoglycemic episodes in type 1 diabetic patients compared with standard insulin pump therapy….
A multicenter, multinational, randomized, crossover trial has been conducted by Dr. Moshe Phillip of the Jesse Z. and Sara Lea Shafer Institute for Endocrinology and Diabetes, National Center for Childhood Diabetes, Schneider Children’s Medical Center of Israel, and colleagues to study the short term safety and efficacy of an artificial pancreas, or closed-loop delivery system, in type 1 diabetic patients aged 10 to 18.
According to the study data, there were significant fewer episodes of nocturnal hypoglycemia (blood sugar <63) and also shorter periods of time when glucose levels were below 60 when a closed-loop delivery system was used. The results also showed that the median values for the individual mean overnight glucose levels were 126.4mg/dL (interquartile range, 115.7 to 139.1) with the closed-loop delivery system compared with 140.4mg/dL (interquartile range, 105.7 to 167.4) with the standard insulin pump therapy. According to researchers, the artificial pancreas, or the closed-loop delivery system, has proven to provide improved glycemic controls with less nocturnal hypoglycemia compared with the standard pump therapy.
Phillip M. N Engl J Med. 2013; 368:824-833