Medical Device Frontiers: Researchers Develop a New Device for Self-Monitoring
Home-testing kits have made it easier for diabetics to track their conditions. However, such self-monitoring hasn't been possible for people with phenylketonuria (PKU). Engineers at the Georgia Institute of Technology (Georgia Tech, Atlanta) hope to change that by introducing the first home-testing device for PKU patients.
PKU is a genetic metabolic disorder in which the body lacks a liver enzyme (phenylalanine hydroxlase) needed to process phenylalanine, an essential amino acid, into another amino acid (tyrosine) used by the body. Left unconverted, excessive amounts of phenylalanine in the bloodstream are toxic to brain tissue and the central nervous system; if untreated in newborns, PKU can cause brain damage and mental retardation.