The findings of a new study on how to manage juvenile diabetes will, undoubtedly offer hope to millions of parents, who interrupt their sleep every night, getting up to several times to monitor their children’s blood sugar levels. Now, researchers are figuring out how best to pair such systems with automated glucose testing.

The research published in the British medical journal The Lancet, could help spur the development of technology by medical device companies based on the underlying concept of the study.

According to the study, the computer algorithm developed by researchers analyses children’s glucose levels, including recommended insulin doses and does a better job than a standard diabetes management system of preventing hypoglycaemia or low blood sugar levels, overnight.

An estimated 3-million people nationwide who have Type 1 diabetes use the standard system, which involves a continuous glucose monitor operating separately from a pre-programmed insulin pump. Type 1 diabetes or juvenile diabetes as it is also known develops early in life and is different from Type 2 diabetes often caused by obesity.

Hypoglycemia i. e. very low glucose levels poses considerable risk for both Type 1 and 2 diabetics, causing dizziness, shakiness, seizures, coma, even death. It is, however, of particular concern amongst children taking insulin because of the wide fluctuation of their blood sugar levels.

None of the children treated with the computer-assisted system as part of the study experienced low blood sugar, overnight, compared to nine instances of hypoglycaemia amongst children on standard treatment.

According to the study conducted by researchers from the University of Cambridge, UK, the system marks an important step in diabetes control, allowing people to sleep safely with minimized risk of hypoglycemia.

It is estimated approximately 400,000 of the 10 to 15% of Americans with Type 1 diabetes either use a continuous glucose monitor or an insulin pump, even both in some cases.

Over the last decade, medical devices manufacturers have developed techniques, widening options of diabetes management beyond having to prick the finger several times during the day to test blood glucose levels. DexCom, a San Diego company makes small continuous glucose monitors with sensors that can be embedded under the skin. While, Animas, a Johnson & Johnson division manufactures cellphone sized programmable pumps, which administers insulin doses through a tiny implantable catheter.

However, it is this new system or artificial pancreas as it is called that effectively in regulates blood sugar levels in children with type 1 diabetes. The device equipped with a sensor connected to an insulin pump reduces the risk of overnight hypoglycaemia, by taking real-time blood sugar readings and calculating how much insulin is appropriate.