Researchers at the University of California (UC), San Diego, have developed a flexible wristband sensor that can monitor multiple chemical and physiological biomarkers of diabetes and cardiovascular health simultaneously and in real time. In a study published in Nature Biomedical Engineering, the research team showcased the potential of this wearable sensor to give individuals with diabetes and prediabetes a more complete picture of their health status and identify potential cardiovascular risks that traditional glucose monitors would otherwise miss.
“Comprehensive and effective management of diabetes requires more than just a single glucose reading,” said An-Yi Chang, PhD, postdoctoral researcher in the department of chemical and nano engineering at UC San Diego and first author of the study. “By tracking glucose, lactate, alcohol, and cardiovascular signals in real time, this pain-free wristband can help people better understand their health and enable early action to reduce diabetes risk.”
While people with diabetes carry an elevated risk of heart disease, physiological signals of cardiovascular health are rarely monitored outside of a clinical setting. The device developed by Chang and colleagues seeks to address this gap by providing users with comprehensive, real-time data and allowing them to access personalized insights into their metabolic and cardiovascular health.
The wearable sensor contains an array of microneedles, 800 micrometers long, that penetrate the outermost layer of the skin to sample the interstitial fluid and track glucose, lactate, and alcohol levels. This is achieved by embedding three different enzymes into the microneedles that react with each of these three biomarkers.
In addition, the wristband sensor employs ultrasound technology to measure blood pressure and track arterial stiffness, and electrocardiography (ECG) sensors to monitor the heart rate. All this information is sent wirelessly to a smart device that displays the data in real time, helping users visualize how daily activities such as meals, exercise, and alcohol intake influence blood sugar and heart health.
When tested in healthy participants and individuals with prediabetes, the wearable sensor showed 96% accuracy compared to commercially available devices to separately track these biomarkers, including glucose monitors, breathalyzers, and lactate meters.
Results showed that consuming sugary drinks not only increased glucose levels, but also resulted in higher blood pressure and heart rates, while fasting and exercise reduced arterial stiffness. Compared to healthy individuals, participants with prediabetes showed higher glucose levels after a meal, as well as elevated lactate levels that took double the amount of time to return to baseline levels.
The study also highlighted response differences between individuals, as non-drinkers showed significant increases in blood pressure and heart rate after a single glass of wine, while regular drinkers did not see any significant changes.
Future work will involve integrating the monitoring of additional biomarkers, such as insulin and cortisol levels, as well as using machine learning algorithms to sort through the large amounts of data produced by the sensor and make predictions of potentially harmful trends. The researchers will also be exploring the possibility of removing the need for batteries by powering the device using solar power or sweat from the user instead.
