BACKGROUND: Continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) is reported to be a useful technique, but difficult or inconvenient for some patients and institutions. We are developing a glucose area under the curve (AUC) monitoring system without blood sampling using a minimally invasive interstitial fluid extraction technology (MIET). Here we evaluated the accuracy of interstitial fluid glucose (IG) AUC measured by MIET in patients with diabetes for an extended time interval and the potency of detecting hyperglycemia using CGM data as a reference. METHODS: Thirty-eight inpatients with diabetes undergoing CGM were enrolled. MIET comprised a pretreatment step using a plastic microneedle array and glucose accumulation step with a hydrogel patch, which was placed on two sites from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM or from 10:00 PM to 6:00 AM. IG AUC was calculated by accumulated glucose extracted by hydrogel patches using sodium ion as standard. RESULTS: A significant correlation was observed between the predicted AUC by MIET and CGM in daytime (r=0.76) and nighttime (r=0.82). The optimal cutoff for the IG AUC value of MIET to predict hyperglycemia over 200 mg/dL measured by CGM for 8 hours was 1,067.3 mg·hr/dL with 88.2% sensitivity and 81.5% specificity. CONCLUSION: We showed that 8-hour IG AUC levels using MIET were valuable in estimating the blood glucose AUC without blood sampling. The results also supported the concept of using this technique for evaluating glucose excursion and for screening hyperglycemia during 8 hours in patients with diabetes at any time of day.
Area Under Curve ; Blood Glucose ; Diabetes Mellitus ; Extracellular Fluid* ; Glucose* ; Humans ; Hydrogel ; Hyperglycemia ; Inpatients ; Mass Screening ; Plastics ; Sensitivity and Specificity ; Sodium

Knee swelling after total knee arthroplasty (TKA) is common and can lead to loss of functional performance. The aim of this study was to reveal the factors related to knee swelling after TKA. In total, 86 patients who underwent unilateral TKA were enrolled. Changes in thigh circumference at 0, 5, and 10 cm proximal from upper pole of the patella were evaluated. In addition, age, body mass index, operation time, blood loss volume, C-reactive protein, albumin, and D-dimer levels, and changes in knee flexion were also assessed preoperatively and at 7 days postoperatively. Thigh circumference at all sites increased postoperatively. Changes in thigh circumference at the superior edge of the patella correlated with changes in knee flexion (r =－0.33, p < 0.01). No significant correlation was found between the other factors. In conclusion, this study revealed a correlation between swelling and flexion after TKA, but no correlation between other factors pre-, intra-, or postoperatively. It is thus necessary to consider other factors in the future.

Patients with lumbar spondylolysis may have poor lumbo-pelvic function and improving lumbar segmental stability may take time. It is assumed that the stronger the lordosis, the poorer the lumbo-pelvic function; however, to our knowledge, evidence of this relationship is lacking. To clarify the relationship between lumbosacral alignment and lumbo-pelvic function in lumbar spondylolysis, we assessed lumbar lordosis and sacral slope in the standing lateral view on plain X-rays and Sahrmann Core Stability Test (SCST) results in 66 adolescents with lumbar spondylolysis with bone marrow edema. Based on SCST results, the patients were divided into those with level 1 or 2 core stability (low group) and those with level 3 or higher core stability (high group). No significant difference was found in lumbosacral alignment between the two groups. In adult patients with spondylolisthesis, the lumbar lordosis angle and sacral slope increases to maintain the center of gravity, but no such increase in compensation was evident in our patients who were young and without slip. These findings suggest that lumbo-pelvic function does not affect lumbosacral alignment in adolescents with spondylolysis. It should be noted that using the SCST alone to evaluate motor control may not be precise enough to determine the relationship between lumbosacral alignment and lumbo-pelvic function because the SCST may not have high enough sensitivity to assess trunk extensor muscles.