Research Update—Closed Loop/Artificial Pancreas

Abstract

A cure for diabetes, either biological or mechanical, has been the dream of many for a very long time. Technological advances in closed loop/ artificial pancreas (CL/AP) therapy, accompanied by an improved understanding of how the human body and the CL/AP system works, are bringing the potential for a mechanical cure for type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) closer to reality. This article discusses the components of the CL/AP system, describes its limitations, and reviews recent CL/AP research studies on multihormonal CL/AP treatments, exercise, dining out, and using the CL/AP in the outpatient setting. Future directions and grassroots efforts towards an automated insulin delivery system are also addressed. Study results are encouraging, and suggest that initial CL/AP systems may be available for the general public with T1DM in the next few years, despite current limitations.