A new way to measure blood sugar levels without drawing blood

A recent study affiliated with UNIST reported a new method
to measure blood glucose levels (BGLs) without drawing blood.
This is a revolutionary, non-invasive technique for detecting blood glucose levels that uses electromagnetic (EM) wave-based glucose sensors inserted under
the skin.
Their findings have attracted a lot of attention because diabetics do not need to constantly prick their fingers
with a blood glucose meter.

The breakthrough was led by Professor Franklin Bien of the Department of
Electrical Engineering at UNIST and his research team.

In this study, the research team proposed an electromagnetic-based sensor that could be implanted subcutaneously and be able to track small changes in the dielectric constant due to changes
in BGLs.
About one-fifth the weight of a cotton swab, this sensor can measure changes
in glucose concentration in interstitial fluid (ISF) that fills the intercellular space.

The research team noted: "The current work is to achieve implantable electromagnetic sensors, which can replace enzyme-based or light-based glucose sensors
.
The proposed implantable sensor not only overcomes the shortcomings of the existing continuous glucose monitoring system (CGMS) such as short life, but also improves the accuracy of
blood glucose prediction.
”

If the fasting blood sugar level is 126 mg/dL or higher, diabetes is diagnosed
.
Normal fasting blood glucose test is less than 100 mg/dL
.
One of the main purposes of diabetes treatment is to keep blood sugar levels within a specified target range
.
More than 400 million people worldwide have diabetes, and they still have to prick their fingers several times a day to check their blood sugar levels
.
Several alternative finger prick methods for blood glucose detection have been extensively studied, such as enzyme-based or optical glucose sensors
.
However, they still have problems
with longevity, portability, and accuracy.

In this study, the research team introduced semi-permanent, continuous blood glucose management at a low maintenance cost, avoiding the pain caused by blood collection, so that patients can enjoy a high quality of life
through appropriate diabetes treatment and management.
This is expected to increase the use
of CGMS, which currently accounts for only 5%.

The team also performed an IVGTT and oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT), implanting sensors into the controlled environment
of pigs and beagles.
According to the research team, preliminary in vivo experimental results show a good correlation
between BGL and sensor frequency response.

The research team noted: "The sensors and systems we propose are indeed in the early stages
of development.
Nevertheless, proof-of-concept results in vivo show a good correlation
between BGL and sensor frequency response.
In fact, the sensor shows the ability to
track BGL trends.
For actual sensor implantation, we must consider long-term applications
for biocompatible packaging and foreign body reaction (FBR).
In addition, an improved sensor interface system is under development
.
”

Their findings were published in the October 2022 issue of Scientific Reports
.

Subcutaneously implantable electromagnetic biosensor system for continuous glucose monitoring