As defined by this study, a first generation artificial pancreas is composed of commercially available continuous glucose sensors and insulin pumps and a sophisticated computer program which is used calculate adjustments in insulin delivery rates. In this study, the adjustments are then entered into the insulin pump manually by a nurse while the study participant slept.

Results of the study were published on February 5, 2010 in The Lancet. There’s also a summary at the JDRF:

Early Artificial Pancreas Trials Show Benefits for Kids, Teenagers with Diabetes While Sleeping Overnight

Almost as an afterthought, the study showed that the system improved blood sugar control. But, preventing overnight hypoglycemic (very low blood sugar) situations is a major concern for every person with diabetes because it can go unnoticed while asleep and can cause seizures, coma, and even be fatal.

For myself, there’s nothing more disruptive to my sleep than waking up in the middle of the night and feeling those all to familiar symptoms of a low blood sugar. I’ll take 30, 45, even 60 minutes to treat it, make sure I’ve treated it adequtely, and then finally get back to sleep.

So while improved blood sugar control is a nice benefit, preventing those nighttime hypoglycemic events will help everybody, especially parents I imagine, sleep better.