Non-invasive monitoring of gingival crevicular fluid for estimation of blood glucose level

Abstract

Development of a non-invasive method for measuring the blood glucose level is an urgent necessity, and putting such a method into practical use will enable some of the physical and mental stress that patients with diabetes have to endure to be removed. To realise a non-invasive blood glucose monitor, the gingival crevicular fluid (GCF) was measured. A GCF-collecting device was developed that was designed to be disposable, biocompatible and small enough to be inserted in the gingival crevice for collection of a sub-microlitre sample of GCF. Also, a high-sensitivity glucose testing tape incorporated in the device was developed. Red laser light in a portable optical device measured the colour density of the testing tape. Standard glucose solutions were used to investigate the measurement accuracy of the GCF glucose monitor and showed a correlation coefficient of R=0.99 (n=20) between the optical density and the glucose levels. The GCF glucose monitor was evaluated on healthy Swedish and Japanese adults (n=10) and both GCF glucose levels (GCFLs) and blood glucose levels (BGLs) were measured in conjunction with meal loads. The GCFLs were about 1/10-1/560 lower than the BGLs. No difference in the range of GCFLs between the Swedish and the Japanese subjects was observed. Therefore it was concluded that physique, body mass index and life-style, such as dietary habit, did not significantly influence the GCFLs. Further, the correlation coefficients of all the subjects were 0.70 and 0.88 with each group. It was suggested that GCF could be used as a method of non-invasive blood glucose measurement. © IFMBE: 2004.