Presently, diabetics must prick their fingers several times daily in order to obtain the necessary blood samples for glucose measurement. It has been demonstrated that glucose can be extracted through intact skin upon application of a low-level electrical current (iontophoresis), which could provide an alternative glucose sampling technique, reducing the need for frequent, painful fingerpricks. Previous work has indicated that, under appropriate formulation conditions, the rate of glucose extraction through the skin is correlated to blood glucose in human subjects. However, the concentrations of glucose in the extract are low, generally in the 0.5-10 micromolar range, compared to 5 - 20 millimolar in subcutaneous tissue or blood. This work demonstrates the combination of electroosmotic extraction with an in situ glucose sensing system that can measure glucose at micromolar concentrations.
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