DIY artificial pancreas audit is launched

Healthcare professionals are being asked to participate in the first international audit looking at the do-it-yourself artificial pancreas system. 

ABCD has launched the survey in a bid to collect objective data about the clinical benefits and potential risks of using these unapproved systems.

It is hoped the ABCD DIY APS audit will provide insight into the impact on glucose levels, hypoglycaemia, hospital admissions, adverse events and diabetes related distress.

Data for the audit will be collected during routine clinical practice to gain a real-world view of this DIY technology.

The audit is not confined to ABCD members, and all healthcare professionals, from adult and paediatric backgrounds, are being asked to contribute.

The data will be collected on a GDPR compliant secure platform. In its 2019 position statement on DIY closed-loop insulin delivery systems, Diabetes UK has strongly recommended participation in this ABCD audit programme as best practice for those caring for users of these systems.

Emma Wilmot, Clinical Lead of the ABCD DIY APS Audit, said: “Over recent years there has been an exponential increase in the number of users of DIY APS in the UK. Users describe the systems as ‘life changing’ and often report improvements in both time in range and quality of life.

“Although primarily aimed at a UK audience we will happily accept data from verified overseas centres providing they register with our audit team.”

DIY APS systems first came to attention in 2015-2016, spearheaded by the #WeAreNotWaiting movement led by Dana Lewis. Since the development of OpenAPS, the first system, two more systems have become widely used (Loop and AndroidAPS).

These systems use glucose data from a sensor (such as FreeStyle Libre or DexCom) which is communicated via bluetooth to an intermediary device, usually a smartphone. This glucose data is then entered into an algorithm which subsequently communicates with an insulin pump device to either sustain, increase, decrease or suspend insulin delivery in order to maintain glucose levels between pre-specificed target levels.

This audit is ABCD’s second device related audit following the success of the nationwide FreeStyle Libre audit which launched in 2017.

To participate in the audit, click here.

For more information, click here.