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Written By: Editorial Team | Published : March 26, 2014 7:05 PM IST
Scientists have developed a mathematical model that can predict, with more than 90 percent accuracy, the blood glucose levels of individuals with type 1 diabetes up to 30 minutes in advance of imminent changes in their levels. Peter Molenaar, Distinguished Professor of Human Development and Family Studies and of psychology, said that many people with type 1 diabetes use continuous glucose monitors, which examine the fluid underneath the skin.
He said that the glucose levels under the skin trail blood glucose levels from anywhere between 8 and 15 minutes, asserting that this is especially problematic during sleep. Patients may become hypoglycemic well before the glucose monitor alarm tells them they are hypoglycemic, and that could lead to death. (Read: 10 tips to prevent diabetes)
According to Molenaar, a person's blood glucose levels fluctuate in response to his or her insulin dose, meal intake, physical activity and emotional state. How great these fluctuations are depends on the individual. The researchers created a time-varying model estimated by the extended Kalman filtering technique. This model accounts for time-varying changes in glucose kinetics due to insulin and meal intake. (Read: 10 ways to control diabetes naturally)
The team tested the accuracy of its model using an FDA-approved UVa/Padova simulator with 30 virtual patients and five living patients with type 1 diabetes. The results have been published in the Journal of Diabetes Science and Technology. (Read: How methi can help you beat diabetes, heart disease, PMS and lots more (gallery))
What is diabetes?
Diabetes is a life long disease that is characterised by increased levels of sugar in the blood. It is either caused due to lack of insulin (a protein that regulates blood glucose levels) or due to lack of response to insulinproduced by the body. Diabetes caused by lack of insulin is called type 1 diabetes. It develops due to fault in the genes that make insulin and is seen in young adults and teenagers. Diabetes caused by failure of response to insulin is called type 2 diabetes. It is more common type of diabetes and is found in adults. It is caused mainly due to lifestyle factors. Some of the common symptoms of diabetes are hunger, frequent urination and increased thirst. Factors like unhealthy diet, sedentary lifestyle and obesity are main contributing factors of type 2 diabetes. In fact, type 2 diabetes is one of the most common 'lifestyle diseases' which is plaguing people in the developed countries. Diabetes is also known to cause complications like heart diseasesand hypertension. In this section you will find answers to all your queries regarding diabetes. (Read: Diabetes Symptoms, causes, diagnosis, treatment and complications)
With inputs from ANI
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