Multimodule, Multivariable Artificial Pancreas for Patients with Type 1 Diabetes: Regulating Glucose Concentration Under Challenging Conditions

Abstract

Diabetes mellitus is a chronic metabolic disease in which patients cannot properly regulate their blood glucose levels due to inadequate insulin production and/or their body cells having a reduced response to insulin. This disease leads to hyperglycemia [high blood glucose concentration (BGC)] because insulin is a hormone produced by the pancreas to reduce BGC. There are three major types of diabetes, and the causes and risk factors are different for each type. Type 1 diabetes (T1D) is a chronic autoimmune disease that can occur at any age but is most often diagnosed in children, teens, or young adults. With T1D, the body produces only a negligible amount of insulin; therefore, patients require daily administration of exogenous insulin to survive. The exact cause is unknown, but it likely results from interplay among autoimmunity, genetics, and the environment. The large majority of diabetes cases are type 2 diabetes (T2D), which generally occurs in adults. With an increase in unhealthy lifestyles and obesity, more teenagers and young adults are diagnosed with T2D. Many people with T2D may be unaware of their diabetes. Finally, gestational diabetes is a condition in which hyperglycemia develops during pregnancy in women who did not have diabetes prior to pregnancy.