Attempts at Perfect Normalization of Glucose Tolerance Test of Severe Diabetics by Artificial Beta Cell

Abstract

The artificial beta cell is a Glucose Controlled Insulin (and dextrose) Infusion System (GCIIS) for maintaining normoglycemia in diabetic conditions and other disturbances of metabolism. The insulin and dextrose infusion rates are calculated by a microcomputer according to the static glucose concentration (proportional control) and to its rate of change (dynamic control). The algorithms controlling the computer can be adapted to the subjects' requirements. It has already been shown, that the artificial beta cell is able to maintain blood sugar values in diabetics within physiological ranges during the course of the day. In our present study we examined the response of the artificial beta cell using a 100 gm oral glucose load in severe diabetics. The first type of control algorithms applied effected a rather small initial insulin infusion following OGTT in 8 juvenile diabetics connected with the artificial beta cell. The glucose responses thus obtained were similar to latent diabetes. In contrast, when the computer was controlled by the second type of algorithms with a more responsive dynamic control and a consequently higher initial insulin infusion, in one diabetic OGTT was fully normalized, whereas an improvement was achieved in another diabetic patient. Furthermore it was shown that control algorithms must be varied individually, depending on residual beta cell function and glucose regulatory mechanisms.

An‘artificial Beta Cell’for Control of Diabetes Mellitus: Effect on Plasma Glucagon Levels

“…The 'artificial beta cell' or glucose-controlled insulin infusion system (GCIIS) used for these studies was furnished by the Life Science Instruments Division of Miles Laboratories, Inc., (Miles BiostatoP GCIIS). The operating characteristics of the system have been previously described in detail (Clarke et al, 1977;Kerner et al, 1976).…”

“…Several groups of investigators have attempted to develop an 'artificial beta cell', which is a device for automatically administering a specific amount of insulin in response to a given level of blood glucose (Albisser et ul., 1974a, b;Kerner et al, 1976;Pfeiffer el al., 1974). Their studies have shown that such a device may be used to treat diabetic ketoacidosis (Pfeiffer et al, 1974), and to regulate blood glucose levels in depancreatized dogs (Albisser et al, 1974a) and following meals or oral glucose in diabetic patients (Albisser er al., 1974b;Kerner et al, 1976). These and other studies have generally examined only plasma glucose levels and occasionally levels of other metabolites during control by the artificial beta cell.…”

Differential and Integral Corticosteroid Feedback Effects on ACTH Secretion in Hypoadrenocorticism

“…Unidirectional rate sensitivity was first discovered in a number of biological reflex systems as described by Clynes (23). There are striking similarities to the derivative and static mechanisms for insulin infusion, which are necessary to normalize glucose concentrations in diabetics by artificial beta cell (24,25).…”

Continuous Subcutaneous Insulin Infusion—An Historical Perspective

“…This was first attempted by Arnold Kadish in Beverly Hills, CA in the 1960s. [20][21][22] Success in developing GCIIS was achieved nearly simultaneously in the 1970s by groups in Toronto, Canada, 23,24 Ulm, Germany, [25][26][27] Montpellier, France, 28 Sydney, Australia, 29,30 and Osaka, Japan. 31,32 The Ulm GCIIS was commercialized by Miles Laboratories (Elkhart, IN) as the ''Biostator.''…”