Painless glucose monitoring with a transparent patch.

Painless Glucose Monitoring: A New Era for Diabetes Management?

Nico Varela in Health & Wellness November 2025 • 4 min read.

"Discover how minimally invasive technology is revolutionizing postprandial glucose monitoring and empowering individuals to take control of their health."

For individuals living with diabetes, maintaining optimal blood sugar levels is a daily challenge fraught with potential complications. Cardiovascular diseases, blindness, and kidney failure are just some of the risks associated with insufficient glucose control. Recent studies, such as the DECODE study, highlight the importance of managing postprandial glucose excursions – the spikes in blood sugar that occur after meals – as a critical factor in preventing cardiovascular issues.

Traditional methods of glucose monitoring, such as self-monitoring of blood glucose (SMBG), often involve frequent finger pricks, causing discomfort and inconvenience. While continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) systems offer more comprehensive data, they can be burdensome due to the need for calibration and subcutaneous needle insertion. This creates a need for innovative, less invasive approaches to glucose monitoring.

Enter minimally invasive interstitial fluid extraction technology (MIET), a promising new method that aims to measure glucose levels without the need for blood samples. This article explores the potential of MIET to accurately monitor postprandial glucose excursions, offering a pain-free and convenient alternative for individuals with diabetes and those seeking to optimize their health.

How Does Minimally Invasive Glucose Monitoring Work?

Painless glucose monitoring with a transparent patch.

MIET leverages the power of microneedle arrays to gently access interstitial fluid (ISF), the fluid surrounding cells beneath the skin. The process involves:

Microneedle Application: A plastic microneedle array is applied to the forearm skin to create tiny, microscopic channels that enhance ISF extraction.

Hydrogel Patch Placement: A hydrogel patch is placed on the pretreated area to collect ISF. The glucose in the ISF is absorbed by the hydrogel.
Glucose and Sodium Ion Measurement: The hydrogel patch is then analyzed to measure the levels of glucose and sodium ions. Sodium ion levels serve as an internal standard to account for variations in ISF extraction rates.
IG-AUC Calculation: By measuring the glucose levels in the hydrogel and calibrating against the sodium ion levels, the system calculates the interstitial fluid glucose area under the curve (IG-AUC), which represents the overall glucose excursion during the monitoring period.

The key advantage of MIET lies in its ability to estimate postprandial glucose excursion without the need for blood samples. By measuring the total increase in glucose levels over time, MIET provides a comprehensive picture of how the body responds to food intake.

The Future of Glucose Monitoring?

The results of this study demonstrate the potential of MIET as a valuable tool for painless glucose monitoring. The good correlation between glucose AUC measured by SMBG and MIET suggests that this technology could be a game-changer for individuals with diabetes, empowering them to better understand their bodies' responses to food and make informed dietary choices. Further development and refinement of MIET may pave the way for more convenient and accessible glucose monitoring solutions, ultimately contributing to improved diabetes management and overall health.

About this Article -

This article was crafted using a human-AI hybrid and collaborative approach. AI assisted our team with initial drafting, research insights, identifying key questions, and image generation. Our human editors guided topic selection, defined the angle, structured the content, ensured factual accuracy and relevance, refined the tone, and conducted thorough editing to deliver helpful, high-quality information.See our About page for more information.

This article is based on research published under:

DOI-LINK: 10.1260/2040-2295.4.4.529, Alternate LINK

Title: Evaluation Of Postprandial Glucose Excursion Using A Novel Minimally Invasive Glucose Area-Under-The-Curve Monitoring System

Subject: Health Informatics

Journal: Journal of Healthcare Engineering

Publisher: Hindawi Limited

Authors: Sachi Kuranuki, Toshiyuki Sato, Seiki Okada, Samiko Hosoya, Akinobu Seko, Kaya Sugihara, Teiji Nakamura

Published: 2013-12-01

Everything You Need To Know

What are the potential long-term health consequences of poorly managed postprandial glucose excursions for individuals with diabetes?

Poorly managed postprandial glucose excursions, or spikes in blood sugar after meals, can lead to severe long-term health complications for individuals with diabetes. These include increased risks of cardiovascular diseases, blindness, and kidney failure. The DECODE study emphasizes the importance of managing these post-meal glucose spikes to mitigate cardiovascular issues. Without adequate control, individuals face a higher likelihood of developing these debilitating conditions, highlighting the critical need for effective glucose monitoring and management strategies.

How does minimally invasive interstitial fluid extraction technology (MIET) differ from traditional glucose monitoring methods like self-monitoring of blood glucose (SMBG) and continuous glucose monitoring (CGM)?

Minimally invasive interstitial fluid extraction technology (MIET) presents a significant departure from traditional glucose monitoring methods. Self-monitoring of blood glucose (SMBG) typically involves frequent finger pricks, causing discomfort and inconvenience. Continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) systems offer more comprehensive data but can be burdensome due to the need for calibration and subcutaneous needle insertion. MIET, on the other hand, aims to measure glucose levels without the need for blood samples, offering a pain-free alternative. By using microneedle arrays to gently access interstitial fluid, MIET measures the total increase in glucose levels over time, providing a comprehensive picture of how the body responds to food intake without the drawbacks of traditional methods.

Can you explain the process of how minimally invasive interstitial fluid extraction technology (MIET) works to measure glucose levels?

Minimally invasive interstitial fluid extraction technology (MIET) measures glucose levels through a multi-step process that avoids the need for blood samples. First, a microneedle array is applied to the forearm skin to create tiny channels, enhancing interstitial fluid (ISF) extraction. A hydrogel patch is then placed on the pretreated area to collect ISF, where glucose is absorbed. The hydrogel patch is analyzed to measure glucose and sodium ion levels, with sodium ions serving as an internal standard to account for variations in ISF extraction rates. Finally, the system calculates the interstitial fluid glucose area under the curve (IG-AUC), representing the overall glucose excursion during the monitoring period, providing a comprehensive assessment of glucose levels after food intake.

What is the significance of calculating the interstitial fluid glucose area under the curve (IG-AUC) in minimally invasive interstitial fluid extraction technology (MIET)?

The calculation of the interstitial fluid glucose area under the curve (IG-AUC) is a crucial step in minimally invasive interstitial fluid extraction technology (MIET). The IG-AUC represents the overall glucose excursion during the monitoring period. By measuring the glucose levels in the hydrogel and calibrating against the sodium ion levels, the system can accurately estimate postprandial glucose excursion without blood samples. This measurement provides a comprehensive picture of how the body responds to food intake, enabling individuals to better understand their glucose patterns and make informed dietary choices. It provides a more holistic understanding compared to single-point measurements.

How does the measurement of sodium ion levels enhance the accuracy of minimally invasive interstitial fluid extraction technology (MIET) in determining glucose levels?

The measurement of sodium ion levels in minimally invasive interstitial fluid extraction technology (MIET) plays a critical role in enhancing the accuracy of glucose measurements. Sodium ion levels serve as an internal standard to account for variations in interstitial fluid (ISF) extraction rates. Since the amount of ISF extracted can vary, measuring sodium ion levels allows the system to normalize the glucose measurements, ensuring a more reliable and accurate assessment of glucose levels. This calibration helps to mitigate potential errors caused by inconsistent ISF extraction, leading to a more precise estimation of postprandial glucose excursion.