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Defeat Diabetes Foundation

Defeat Diabetes
Foundation
150 153rd Ave,
Suite 300
Madeira Beach, FL 33708

New Way To Test Blood Sugar Levels

Posted: Monday, April 05, 2004

Type two diabetes is where the hormone insulin is in short supply in the body so it is difficult to convert sugar into energy.

Cote said the current method to check blood sugar, the finger prick blood test, is not sufficient since there are few people who like needles.

He said he came up with the idea to implant particles underneath the skin that would fluoresce in the presence of glucose and could be monitored with an "external watch-type of device."

"Once implanted, the monitoring is totally non-invasive so the patient will be able to monitor very frequently and adjust their levels throughout the day," Cote said. "There is even the potential to wear it at night, and an alarm would trigger if the person's glucose went too low, which has immediate detrimental consequences if action is not taken."

Cote said he came up with the idea at a conference.

"One of the key note speakers, Rox Anderson, was talking about laser tattoo removal and said 'wouldn't it be nice to have a tattoo that actually did something, like a smart tattoo instead of dumb ink particles?'" Cote said. "So, I thought about it, and together with chemical engineering faculty member, Michael Pishko, the three of us wrote a patent on the idea to the National Science Foundation."

The idea is being tested on animals and will hopefully be available to diabetic patients in a minimum of five years, Cote said.

"My dad has diabetes, and I watch him make a face every time that he tests his blood sugar levels and has to prick his finger," said junior psychology major Christine Horton. "I really think that this new alternative will be much more pleasant for patients and will get the same job done."

According to the American Diabetes Association, 18.2 million people, or about 6.3 percent of
the total population in the United States had diabetes in the year 2002, which was the sixth leading cause of death listed on U.S. death certificates in 2000.

With the many diabetic patients out there, Cote said he hopes his non-invasive idea will help avoid or put off long-term complications of diabetes.

"It seems to me that this new innovation would make the life of a diabetic patient easier since
it would be less complicated and nearly painless," said senior political science major Justin Wisdom. "They would not have to deal with the expenses and the complications of pricking their finger evening.

Source: Diabetes In Control.com.