by Giulia Mazza
A study conducted by theEndocrinology and Diabetology Unit of the Campus Bio-Medico University Hospital, directed by the teacher Silvia Manfrini, could demonstrate the greater effectiveness, compared to traditional blood glucose measurement methods, of Flash Glucose Monitoring (FGM) technology for patients newly diagnosed with type 2 diabetes mellitus.
The research focuses on the system ofmonitoring called FreeStyle Libre2 che, attraverso l'applicazione sul retro del braccio del paziente di un sensore a forma di disco (della grandezza circa di una moneta da 2 euro), permette di leggere l'andamento dei livelli di glicemia sottocute e li comunica direttamente a un'applicazione di facile utilizzo scaricabile dal paziente sul proprio cellulare. Il monitoraggio flash permette così al paziente di avere accesso a informazioni istantanee e continue sull'andamento dei livelli di glucosio, aiutando quindi a prevenire complicazioni e offrendo ai pazienti un nuovo livello di coinvolgimento e controllo a lungo termine sulla propria salute. Uno strumento utile anche alla luce degli ultimi sviluppi scientifici che confermano, rispetto all'assunzione ad esempio di carboidrati, che non sia tanto la quantità, quanto la tipologia di carboidrato (raffinato o integrale/vegetale) ad avere impatto sulle glicemie.
La University Hospital Foundation, furthermore, in collaboration with theUniversità Campus Bio-Medico di Roma, developed the device di-PEN To support and improve the precision of insulin administration for patients with type 1 and type 2 diabetes. Thanks to advanced features based on artificial intelligence, the di-PEN technology, for which the Campus Bio-Medico University filed an international patent in 2021, aims to assist patients during injections, reducing the possibility of errors and improving insulin absorption by rotating the injection site. This potentially innovative tool could not only improve patients' diabetes management but also reduce the risk of complications, lipodystrophy, and injections outside the subcutaneous tissue. The device also allows data to be shared with the treating physician, allowing for truly personalized therapy. The team of specialists is working on a trial to demonstrate the effectiveness of di-PEN in maintaining optimal blood glucose levels and improving patients' quality of life.
The di-PEN has already received the special mention "Female Entrepreneurship", awarded by theWomen's Enterprise Observatory at the University of Rome "Tor Vergata" and the "INNOVA" Special Award, awarded for the admission of a finalist project to the personalized acceleration program B-HUB FOR EUROPE.
