A possible win for diabetics–a glucose monitoring ‘tattoo’ patch

[grow_thumb image=”https://telecareaware.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/102337982-tattooHR.530×298.jpg” thumb_width=”150″ /]A possible advance in the perpetual Battle of Stalingrad that diabetics face in their self-monitoring has been developed through research at the University of California at San Diego (UCSD)’s Center for Wearable Sensors. A flexible skin tattoo-like patch has been used to monitor pre- and post-meal blood glucose levels. It works by using a small electrical current directed to the two small electrodes in the clear patch which activate an enzyme that reacts with glucose, giving a reading to the researchers on the seven subjects which correlates to conventional needle-stick metering. It’s not so advanced yet that it delivers information to a smartphone or dedicated meter, but directionally it’s in the right direction. And think of the savings both in disposables and cost ($1 each). The Center for Wearable Sensors is further developing the other half of the device which would generate the current and read out the glucose levels. Potentially this could be available in a few years (their estimate) and also be of interest to those who watch their carbohydrate intake or who may be pre-diabetic. CNBC (picture and article), Analytical Chemistry (abstract and full article), MedCityNews. Hat tip to reader Peg Graham of JASA and QUA, Inc. via LinkedIn updates.

Related reading: John A. Rogers’ sensor patch skunkworks at University of Illinois-Urbana/Champaign in our October article and prior (see links). And a far better idea, especially for childhood diabetes, than Google’s chancy glucose-sensing contact lens we first wrote about exactly one year ago [TTA 17 Jan and 17 July 14]