Noninvasive glycaemia monitoring: background, traditional findings, and novelties in the recent clinical trials.

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: The noninvasive measurement of glycaemia is a topic of great interest and is rapidly changing; novelties have emerged frequently in the last years. The aim of the present review is to briefly present the main technologies in the field and the devices recently developed based on them. RECENT
FINDINGS: The main technologies for noninvasive glycaemia monitoring can be usually classified into two main categories, 'optical' and 'electric'. Each technology will be briefly presented. Some noninvasive glucose meters, Diasensor (based on near infrared spectroscopy), Pendra (impedance spectroscopy), and GlucoWatch (reverse iontophoresis), which entered either the European or the US market or both in the last years will be described. Unfortunately, none of them is currently in the market. Some new device prototypes, TANGTEST blood glucose meter (optical method), reverse iontophoresis-based glucose monitoring device, Aprise sensor (ultrasounds), have emerged in the last months. In clinical studies on humans, they generally showed a good accuracy in glycaemia measurement.
SUMMARY: The development of reliable methods for noninvasive glycaemia monitoring would have a tremendous impact on diabetes management. The most recent device prototypes appear promising, but because of the failure of previous projects, the assessment of such new devices must be done with extreme caution.