Scenarios
The complexity of diabetes pathophysiology and the relatively high number of environmental factors influencing daily metabolic profile do not allow to clearly define a “single” diabetic patient and, in turn, a “single” scope for the METABO system. In fact, every patient is a different case and responds in a different way to the disease.
For these reasons, the METABO project does not follow a pathophysiological classification of the disease, but has defined a situation /problem-oriented vision of the disease, in order to focus its features and try to address those issues that most of diabetic patients and physicians have to deal with. Therefore this categorization does not center in patients phenotypization, but addresses some specific situations in which patients may encounter specific needs.
To provide an extensive user-oriented validation of the METABO platform and to better delineate this situation-driven application of the METABO close-loop paradigm, six major application scenarios, called SEGMENTS:
Sudden
Hypoglycemic Events
It focuses on patients with frequent hypoglycemic episodes, especially if
unaware of early autonomic symptoms of hypoglycemia, when they are in hazardous
situations.
Changes in the
Environment
It refers to changes in the environment that are clinically significant and are
not occasional in nature (workings shifts, frequent travelling, etc.).
Physical
Activity
It focuses on the effect of physical activity on glucose metabolism and diabetes
control. Physical activity is a known risk for hypoglycemia, but it can also be
turned into a tool to reduce insulin intake.
Lack of
Motivation
Diabetes is a chronic disease highly demanding in both, the physical and
psychological dimensions. This segment will address patients whose lack of
motivation and non-compliance are probably the most significant causes of
treatment failure.
Unstable
Diabetes Control
It refers to cases of sustained hyperglycemia or unstable glucose concentrations
with sudden alternations between hyperglycemia and hypoglycemic crises. In
METABO, unstable patients will be those whose metabolic stability cannot be
achieved despite the best available treatment strategy.
Commorbidity
Disease Management
Patients with co-morbidities represent a significant challenge for clinical
medicine as one disease may affect progression and response to treatment of
the other
