Research team uses microneedle biosensors to detect antibiotic level changes

A team of scientists at Imperial College London has successfully used microneedle biosensors to accurately detect antibiotic level changes in the body.

The findings, published in The Lancet, shows real-time monitoring of changes in antibiotic concentration in the body, with the team believing the technology shows how quickly patients use up medication they are given – potentially leading to a change in how they are treated in the future.

The non-invasive patches are shown to match the accuracy of current clinical methods according to the study.

The sensors use a series of microscopic ‘teeth’ which act as electrodes to penetrate the skin and detect changes in the fluid between cells. It detects changes in pH level and has been used for continuous monitoring of blood sugar levels.

The study is limited in that it measures against a small sample size of and was tested on one antibiotic among healthy patients.

Dr Timothy Rawson, from Imperial's Department of Infectious Disease and who led the research, said: "Microneedle biosensors hold a great potential for monitoring and treating the sickest of patients. When patients in hospital are treated for severe bacterial infections the only way we have of seeing whether antibiotics we give them are working is to wait and see how they respond, and to take frequent blood samples to analyse levels of the drugs in their system - but this can take time.

"Our biosensors could help to change that. By using a simple patch on the skin of the arm, or potentially at the site of infection, it could tell us how much of a drug is being used by the body and provide us with vital medical information, in real time."

The study says that future work will “explore microneedle use in patient populations, their role in data generation to inform dosing recommendations, and their incorporation into closed-loop control systems for automated drug delivery.”