Non-Invasive Sensor Monitors Changes in Saliva Compositions to Rapidly Diagnose Diabetes
|
By LabMedica International staff writers Posted on 06 Oct 2023 |
|
Diabetes is a metabolic disorder that commonly affects people who are over 45, have a family history of the disease, poor diet, or high BMI. Poor management of diabetes can lead to severe complications like heart disease, kidney problems, and amputations. To keep the condition in check, it's crucial for patients to regularly test their glucose levels using methods like fasting blood glucose (FBG), oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT), and glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) tests. Now, researchers have introduced a new way to monitor glucose levels through a non-invasive sensor that analyzes body fluids like saliva.
Scientists at the Baqiyatallah University of Medical Sciences (Tehran, Iran) have created a unique sensor that can identify diabetic patients by analyzing the metabolic changes in their saliva. This sensor uses an origami-like paper substrate made of two layers folded together. A saliva sample is placed on one layer and soaks through to the second layer where it interacts with sensor elements. Organic dyes serve as the sensor's receptors. Depending on their molecular structure, these dyes capture compounds in the saliva, resulting in visible color changes, according to the study published in Scientific Reports.
During clinical trials, this sensor demonstrated that it was capable of distinguishing between the chemical compositions of saliva from diabetic and non-diabetic individuals. It could also estimate the blood glucose levels or ranges and provide consistent results when analyzing specific samples. The color changes in the receptors were solely due to alterations in the saliva's metabolic profile. The sensor offers several benefits such as simplicity, portability, and reliable readings, making it a strong candidate to replace existing glucose monitoring methods. However, one current limitation is that the saliva samples need to be centrifuged, so the sensor is only suitable for use in clinical labs at this point.
Related Links:
Baqiyatallah University of Medical Sciences
Latest Clinical Chem. News
- Automated NfL Assay Supports Monitoring of Neurological Disorders
- Blood-Based Screening Test Targets Early Detection of Colorectal Cancer
- New CLIA Status Brings Mass Spectrometry Steroid Testing to Routine Labs
- CSF Biomarker Improves Diagnosis of Parkinson’s Disease and Lewy Body Dementia
- Simple Urine Home Test Kit Could Detect Early-Stage Breast Cancer
- Study Shows Dual Biomarkers Improve Accuracy of Alzheimer’s Detection
- New Tool Tracks Biomarker Changes to Predict Myeloma Progression
- New Plasma Tau Assay Improves Prediction of Alzheimer’s Progression
- First IVD Immunoassay to Detect Alzheimer’s Risk Gene Variant Receives CE Mark
- Routine Blood Markers Predict Heart Failure Risk in Prediabetes
- AI Model Enables Personalized Glucose Predictions for Type 1 Diabetes
- AI-Powered Blood Test Distinguishes Deadly Cardiac Events
- AI Sensor Detects Neurological Disorders Using Single Saliva Drop
- Blood Test Tracks Transplant Health Using Donor DNA
- New Blood Test Index Offers Earlier Detection of Liver Scarring
- Electronic Nose Smells Early Signs of Ovarian Cancer in Blood
Channels
Molecular Diagnostics
view channel
New AI Tool Improves Detection of Genetic Causes in Rare Disorders
Families affected by rare diseases often endure years of inconclusive testing and fragmented referrals before a definitive diagnosis. Despite broad access to genomic sequencing, many patients remain undiagnosed,... Read more
New Molecular Test Boosts Accuracy of Bile Duct Cancer Diagnosis
Bile duct strictures can arise from cancer or benign disease, but their location within ducts connecting the liver, gallbladder, and intestines complicates evaluation. Standard biopsy and cytology may... Read more
Adaptive PCR Platform Improves Consistency in Small-Batch NGS Workflows
PCR amplification during next-generation sequencing (NGS) library preparation can introduce variability, often requiring manual quantification and risking over-cycling artifacts. The issue is especially... Read more
First IVDR‑Certified IGH Clonality Assay Supports Diagnosis of B-Cell Malignancies
Accurate identification of clonal immunoglobulin heavy chain (IGH) gene rearrangements is central to evaluating suspected B-cell lymphoproliferative disorders, where a single B-cell clone yields a defining... Read moreHematology
view channel
Rapid Cartridge-Based Test Aims to Expand Access to Hemoglobin Disorder Diagnosis
Sickle cell disease and beta thalassemia are hemoglobin disorders that often require referral to specialized laboratories for definitive diagnosis, delaying results for patients and clinicians.... Read more
New Guidelines Aim to Improve AL Amyloidosis Diagnosis
Light chain (AL) amyloidosis is a rare, life-threatening bone marrow disorder in which abnormal amyloid proteins accumulate in organs. Approximately 3,260 people in the United States are diagnosed... Read more
Immunology
view channel
FDA Approval Expands Use of PD-L1 Companion Diagnostic in Esophageal and GEJ Carcinomas
Esophageal and gastroesophageal junction carcinomas (GEJ) have a poor prognosis, with approximately 16,250 deaths in the United States in 2025 and a five-year relative survival of 21.9%.... Read more
Study Identifies Inflammatory Pathway Driving Immunotherapy Resistance in Bladder Cancer
Bladder cancer remains a prevalent malignancy with variable responses to immune checkpoint inhibitors. Clinicians often observe elevated C-reactive protein and interleukin-6 in affected patients, yet the... Read more
Microbiology
view channel
New Bacterial Target Identified for Early Detection of Noma
Noma is a rapidly progressing orofacial infection that begins as gingivitis and can destroy oral and facial tissues, primarily affecting young children living in extreme poverty. Without treatment, it... Read more
Genomic Analysis Links Emerging Streptococcal Strains to Specific Infections
Streptococcus dysgalactiae subspecies equisimilis (SDSE) infections are increasing worldwide and include variants that may lead to severe disease. Researchers now report that whole-genome sequencing of... Read more
Pathology
view channel
AI Tool Predicts Patient-Specific Chemotherapy Benefit in Breast Cancer
Selecting adjuvant chemotherapy for early-stage breast cancer is typically guided by recurrence risk and population-level averages rather than patient-specific benefit. However, existing clinicopathologic... Read more
AI-Based Pathology Model Guides Chemotherapy Decisions in Breast Cancer
Selecting adjuvant chemotherapy for early-stage breast cancer remains a difficult decision because only a subset benefits and many undergo toxicity without gain. Genomic assays can help but are costly,... Read more
Technology
view channel
New AI Tool Enables Rapid Treatment Selection in Pediatric Leukemia
Children with T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia face an aggressive disease that remains difficult to treat. Although remission rates have improved, many survivors experience long-term effects from intensive... Read more
Breakthrough Mass Spectrometry Design Could Enable Ultra-Low Abundance Detection
Mass spectrometry is central to identifying and quantifying molecules in complex biological samples, but conventional instruments typically analyze ions sequentially, which can limit detection of rare species.... Read more
Industry
view channel
Takara Bio USA and Hamilton Partner Partner to Automate NGS Library Preparation
Takara Bio USA, Inc. (San Jose, CA, USA), a wholly owned subsidiary of Takara Bio Inc., and Hamilton Company (Reno, NV, USA) announced a development and co-marketing agreement to deliver integrated, automated... Read more
