Reduction of measurement noise in a continuous glucose monitor by coating the sensor with a zwitterionic polymer

Nat Biomed Eng. 2018 Dec;2(12):894-906. doi: 10.1038/s41551-018-0273-3. Epub 2018 Jul 30.

Abstract

Continuous glucose monitors (CGMs), used by patients with diabetes mellitus, can autonomously track fluctuations in blood glucose over time. However, the signal produced by CGMs during the initial recording period following sensor implantation contains substantial noise, requiring frequent recalibration via fingerprick tests. Here, we show that coating the sensor with a zwitterionic polymer, found via a combinatorial-chemistry approach, significantly reduces signal noise and improves CGM performance. We evaluated the polymer-coated sensors in mice as well as in healthy and diabetic non-human primates, and show that the sensors accurately record glucose levels without the need for recalibration. We also show that the polymer-coated sensors significantly abrogated immune responses to the sensor, as indicated by histology, fluorescent whole-body imaging of inflammation-associated protease activity, and gene expression of inflammation markers. The polymer coating may allow CGMs to become standalone measuring devices.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Biosensing Techniques / instrumentation
  • Biosensing Techniques / methods*
  • Blood Glucose / analysis*
  • Coated Materials, Biocompatible / chemistry*
  • Diabetes Mellitus, Experimental / blood
  • Diabetes Mellitus, Experimental / chemically induced
  • Diabetes Mellitus, Experimental / pathology
  • Electrochemical Techniques
  • Electrodes
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred C57BL
  • Polymers / chemistry*
  • Reactive Oxygen Species / metabolism
  • Signal-To-Noise Ratio
  • Skin / pathology
  • Transcriptome

Substances

  • Blood Glucose
  • Coated Materials, Biocompatible
  • Polymers
  • Reactive Oxygen Species