I am a son of a type 1, type 1 myself, and a JDRF (Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation) staff member. I have invested both my life and my career to improve lives and to one day cure type 1 diabetes (T1D). I was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes on Christmas day when I was twelve years old. I started wearing my first insulin pump at twenty-three. I was told at that time I would soon be wearing an artificial pancreas system instead of an insulin pump. I was also told a cure was right around the corner. Unfortunately we still don't have the cure for T1D (type 1 diabetes) but the dream of the artificial pancreas is coming to fruition.
There are many companies in a race to the finish line to develop and bring to market the first artificial pancreas system. The are as many as two dozen Artificial Pancreas projects worldwide. The most well known systems currently being tested in human trials are from companies Bigfoot Biomedical, iLet Bionic Pancreas, Medtronic, and TypeZero Technologies. The TypeZero Technologies original prototype was developed by the University of Virginia Center for Diabetes Technology. The University Virginia is still heavily involved in the research and trials of the artificial pancreas system. Two months ago I reached out to researchers at UVA to inquire about participating in an artificial pancreas trial and was chosen to participate in a twelve week study. The past few years artificial pancreas trials were only done in an controlled in-patient hospital setting. I am participating in one of the first at home trials to experience how these systems will work in our everyday active and chaotic life. I now have what I have desired for many years. A replacement for my malfunctioning pancreas. The artificial pancreas is not perfect but it is a huge leap in the right direction and a great improvement from our best methods of therapy to treat both type 1 diabetes and insulin dependent type 2 diabetes.
Over the next several weeks I will be sharing my personal experience of participating in an artificial pancreas trial. I will share the ups and downs, both the good and bad (hopefully much more good than bad!). Today I want to start off by providing a brief overview and explain how the DiAs (Diabetes Assistant system) works.
What is type 1 diabetes? (for all you non-diabetic followers)
Type 1 Diabetes is an autoimmune disease in which a person's pancreas stops producing insulin, a hormone that enables the body to get energy from food. It occurs when the body's immune system attacks and destroys the insulin-producing cells in the pancreas called beta cells. It causes are still being studied and not yet understood though it is has nothing to do with diet and lifestyle (type2 diabetes). Researchers believe both genetics and environmental factors play a role. Type 1 diabetes can not be prevented and there is nothing you can do to cure yourself of type 1 diabetes.
What is an artificial pancreas?
The artificial pancreas bridges the gap between two piece of technology that already exist, the insulin pump and the continuous glucose monitor (CGM). With an artificial pancreas, a computer program, instead of the person with diabetes calculates how much insulin the pump delivers based on reading from the CGM. Wearing an artificial pancreas is considered "closed-loop" which means that little input is required from the user to keep the person's blood glucose within a safe range. The "closed-loop" system takes much of the difficulty of managing diabetes like trying to adjust insulin dosage based on food, stress, exercise, hormones, and sickness out of the users hands and is all done by the automated computer system.
How does the DiA's A.P. system work?
1. An Android smartphone automatically receives a reading from a Dexcom CGM every five minutes.
2. Based on the current and predicted glucose reading as well as insulin on board an algorithm on the smart phone adjusts insulin delivery.
3. A command is then communicated wireless to the insulin pump (Roche Accu-chek Combo insulin pump) to delivery the appropriate amount of insulin.
4. This process repeats every 5 minutes 24 hours a day/7 days a week.
5. At meal time you enter your carbs and blood glucose reading into the system and take the recommended dose. From there the DiA's computer algorithm takes over and adjusts more or less insulin as needed. This is called "hybrid closed-loop".
Over the next six weeks I would be blogging about my experience wearing an artificial pancreas. If you have questions you would like answered directly or in my blog please email me at jeramieirwin@gmail.com. If you would like more information about artificial pancreas trials at the University of Virginia Center for Diabetes Technology please email artificalpancreas@virginia.edu.
Marc Breton PhD, one of the leading developers of the DiA's inControl AP diabetes management platform and founder of TypeZero Technologies will be the keynote speaker at the JDRF Kentucky & Southern Indiana TypeOneNation Summit on Saturday, May 14, 2016 at the Louisville Marriott East. Register at https://typeonenation2016-ky.eventbrite.com
What is type 1 diabetes? (for all you non-diabetic followers)
Type 1 Diabetes is an autoimmune disease in which a person's pancreas stops producing insulin, a hormone that enables the body to get energy from food. It occurs when the body's immune system attacks and destroys the insulin-producing cells in the pancreas called beta cells. It causes are still being studied and not yet understood though it is has nothing to do with diet and lifestyle (type2 diabetes). Researchers believe both genetics and environmental factors play a role. Type 1 diabetes can not be prevented and there is nothing you can do to cure yourself of type 1 diabetes. What is an artificial pancreas?
The artificial pancreas bridges the gap between two piece of technology that already exist, the insulin pump and the continuous glucose monitor (CGM). With an artificial pancreas, a computer program, instead of the person with diabetes calculates how much insulin the pump delivers based on reading from the CGM. Wearing an artificial pancreas is considered "closed-loop" which means that little input is required from the user to keep the person's blood glucose within a safe range. The "closed-loop" system takes much of the difficulty of managing diabetes like trying to adjust insulin dosage based on food, stress, exercise, hormones, and sickness out of the users hands and is all done by the automated computer system.
How does the DiA's A.P. system work?
1. An Android smartphone automatically receives a reading from a Dexcom CGM every five minutes.
2. Based on the current and predicted glucose reading as well as insulin on board an algorithm on the smart phone adjusts insulin delivery.
3. A command is then communicated wireless to the insulin pump (Roche Accu-chek Combo insulin pump) to delivery the appropriate amount of insulin.
4. This process repeats every 5 minutes 24 hours a day/7 days a week.
5. At meal time you enter your carbs and blood glucose reading into the system and take the recommended dose. From there the DiA's computer algorithm takes over and adjusts more or less insulin as needed. This is called "hybrid closed-loop".
Over the next six weeks I would be blogging about my experience wearing an artificial pancreas. If you have questions you would like answered directly or in my blog please email me at jeramieirwin@gmail.com. If you would like more information about artificial pancreas trials at the University of Virginia Center for Diabetes Technology please email artificalpancreas@virginia.edu.
How Does DiAs Work?
-
An Android smartphone with a control algorithm wirelessly receives the Dexcom CGM value every five minutes.
-
An algorithm running on the phone calculates how much insulin to
deliver (based on the current and predicted blood glucose, and insulin
on board). If glucose is predicted to go too high, additional insulin is
given. Insulin is reduced or suspended if glucose is predicted to go
too low. The glucose target varies by time of day (more aggressive at
night, more conservative during the day).
-
A command is sent wirelessly to the pump to give the calculated amount of insulin.
- This repeats every five minutes while closed-loop is running during the day or at night. During the day, we still enter meal information into the system (number of carbs), which makes this a “hybrid closed-loop” (“treat-to-range”) system.
How Does DiAs Work?
-
An Android smartphone with a control algorithm wirelessly receives the Dexcom CGM value every five minutes.
-
An algorithm running on the phone calculates how much insulin to
deliver (based on the current and predicted blood glucose, and insulin
on board). If glucose is predicted to go too high, additional insulin is
given. Insulin is reduced or suspended if glucose is predicted to go
too low. The glucose target varies by time of day (more aggressive at
night, more conservative during the day).
-
A command is sent wirelessly to the pump to give the calculated amount of insulin.
- This repeats every five minutes while closed-loop is running during the day or at night. During the day, we still enter meal information into the system (number of carbs), which makes this a “hybrid closed-loop” (“treat-to-range”) system.
