Real-time myocardial glucose measurement using biosensors

Area of Science:

• Biomedical Engineering
• Cardiovascular Physiology
• Metabolic Monitoring

Background:

• Myocardial fatty acid metabolism stops during ischemia, increasing reliance on glucose.
• A continuous method for monitoring myocardial glucose has been lacking.
• Existing glucose biosensors are primarily used for subcutaneous diabetic management.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the utility of needle-tip enzymatic glucose biosensors for real-time myocardial glucose monitoring.
• To assess the sensors' ability to track regional glucose metabolism in the heart during ischemia and reperfusion.
• To determine the potential clinical applications of this technology in guiding cardioplegia and monitoring ischemic states.

Main Methods:

• Utilized Yorkshire swine (n=21) undergoing cardiopulmonary bypass.
• Implanted biosensors in the left anterior descending artery (LAD) and posterior descending artery (PD) distributions, and the liver.
• Induced selective LAD artery ischemia and monitored glucose levels during ischemia and reperfusion in both arrested and beating heart conditions.

Main Results:

• Biosensors demonstrated the ability to track regional glucose metabolism in specific heart and liver regions.
• Observed significant drops in myocardial glucose levels during ischemia in the beating heart model (6.5% at 1 min, 29.0% at 5 min).
• Distinct metabolic states were identified in different cardiac regions and the liver using biosensors.

Conclusions:

• Needle-tip glucose biosensors can be effectively applied for real-time myocardial glucose monitoring.
• This technology allows for the assessment of regional glucose metabolism in both beating and arrested hearts.
• The application holds promise for guiding cardioplegia administration and monitoring ischemic conditions in clinical and experimental settings.