[Clinical and diabetic research of the artificial extracorporeal pancreas]

With the external artificial pancreas used by the authors, blood glucose is continuously controlled by insulin delivered through an IV infusion and adjusted to two parameters: instantaneous blood glucose levels and increasing or decreasing patterns of blood glucose. The artificial pancreas can be used to treat acute diabetic disorders an to evaluate insulin needs. Furthermore, exogenous insulin homeostasis can be studied: the delay to reach an insulin effect is 18 mm +/- 2 and it remains within 28 mm +/- 2 after the infusion has been stopped; fractional insulin needs are evaluated. From these data, it appears that the efficiency of exogenous insulin exhibits a circadian rhythm.