MONITORING SET-UP FOR SELECTION OF PARAMETERS FOR DETECTION OF HYPOGLYCEMIA IN DIABETIC-PATIENTS

Recurrent severe hypoglycaemia is often an unsolved problem in diabeti c patients under intensified insulin treatment. As no reliable long-te rm stable blood glucose sensor has yet been developed, registration of other body function changes could help to detect severe hypoglycaemia . A measuring system is described, capable on the one hand of recordin g EEG, heart rate, peripheral pulse, skin temperature, respiratory mov ements, skin impedance and arterial blood pressure, and capable of reg istering plasma glucose, counter-regulatory hormones, symptoms and cog nitive performance under experimental conditions during hypoglycaemia, on the other. In a clinical study involving both insulin-induced hypo glycaemia in healthy subjects and insulin-dependent diabetic patients, the practical value and the character of changes of the recorded para meters are investigated. Currently insensitivity to hypoglycaemia, imp racticability, complexity or susceptibility to artefacts make use of m ost parameters unsuitable for hypoglycaemia prevention. It is believed , however, that future efforts could result in indirect registration o f hypoglycaemia, including a qualified combination of different parame ters, individual adaptation in accordance with particular responses of individual patients, together with new measuring and sensor technique s.