If you are one of the more than 220 million people worldwide who suffer from diabetes, you may test your blood sugar level over 1,000 times a year. Unfortunately, the life-saving test using today’s blood glucose meters usually involves a prick on the side of a finger, and can become painful after a while.
Testing alternative sites, such as the ear, can provide some guidance on blood sugar levels. However, readings are often less accurate than those taken from the fingers.
Now, there’s new hope for finding an alternative to traditional blood glucose meters. Researchers have developed tiny fluorescent beads that could do the job instead.
Glowing results
The beads are no larger than the inside of a standard needle, and could be injected underneath the skin, likely near the wrist. The beads are infused with diabronic acid and certain hydrocarbons, producing a fluorescent dye that reacts to increases in blood sugar. The research, conducted on mice in Japan, suggests the method is highly stable, highly sensitive, and showed no adverse reactions in the mice.
True continuous monitoring within reach
The microbeads hold a great deal of promise if your condition dictates continuous blood sugar monitoring. Current Continuous Glucose Monitors (CGMs) are attached to a tube implanted under the skin in the abdomen. CGMs sample blood throughout the day to help analyze trends, but are often expensive. Because the beads require no power source or external access to produce a clear indicator for heightened blood glucose, they offer the real possibility of an affordable and truly continuous monitoring system. Based on the research, the beads could be effective for as long as one month, and possibly up to 3 months.
Researchers say additional testing is needed in humans, but that a product could be available on the market in five to 10 years.
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