Therapeutic modulation to treat blood glucose abnormalities, including type 2 diabetes, and/or reduce HBA1C levels, and associated systems and methods
Systems and methods for treating a patient having a blood glucose abnormality, such as type 2 diabetes (T2D), using an electrical signal are disclosed. A representative method for treating a patient includes, based at least in part on a patient indication of a blood glucose abnormality, positioning at least one implantable signal delivery device proximate to a target location at the patient's spinal cord within a vertebral range of from about C8 to about T12. The method further includes directing an electrical signal to the target location via the implantable signal delivery device, wherein the electrical signal has a frequency in a frequency range of from 1.2 kHz to 100 kHz.
1. A method for treating a patient having a blood glucose abnormality, comprising:
programming an implantable signal generator to deliver an electrical signal having a frequency in a frequency range of from 1.2 kHz to 100 kHz to the patient's spinal cord region, via at least one implanted signal delivery device positioned proximate to a target location within a vertebral range of from about C8 to about T12, for a duration of between about 30 minutes and about 120 minutes while the patient is prandial,
wherein the electrical signal modulates neurons of the intermediolateral cell column to treat the blood glucose abnormality of the patient.
2. The method of claim 1 wherein the blood glucose abnormality includes type 2 diabetes (T2D).
3. The method of claim 1 wherein the target location is offset from a longitudinal midline of the patient's spinal cord.
4. The method of claim 1 wherein the electrical signal has a frequency in a frequency range of from 5 kHz to 50 kHz.
5. The method of claim 1 wherein the electrical signal has a frequency in a frequency range of from 5 kHz to 15 kHz.
6. The method of claim 1 wherein the electrical signal has a pulse width in a pulse width range of from 10 microseconds to 166 microseconds.
7. The method of claim 1 wherein the electrical signal has an amplitude from about 20% of the patient's sensory threshold to about 90% of the patient's sensory threshold.
8. The method of claim 1 wherein the target location is from T4 to T6.
9. The method of claim 8 wherein the electrical signal inhibits one or more of the patient's sympathetic nerves associated with the patient's liver.
10. The method of claim 1 wherein the neurons include sympathetic preganglionic neurons.
11. The method of claim 10 wherein the electrical signal stimulates sympathetic interneurons that project to the sympathetic preganglionic neurons.
12. The method of claim 11 wherein the sympathetic interneurons are located in lamina X of the patient's spinal cord.
13. The method of claim 1 wherein the electrical signal promotes glucose uptake in the patient's liver and/or lowers the patient's post-prandial blood glucose levels.
14. The method of claim 1 wherein the electrical signal reduces the patient's blood glucose level.
15. The method of claim 1 wherein the electrical signal reduces a level of HbA1c in the patient.
16. The method of claim 1 wherein the electrical signal is a first electrical signal, and wherein programming the implantable signal generator includes programming the implantable signal generator to deliver a second electrical signal different than the first electrical signal during a post-prandial phase after the duration of between about 30 minutes and about 120 minutes.
17. A method for treating a patient having a blood glucose abnormality, comprising:
programming an implantable signal generator to deliver an electrical signal having a frequency in a frequency range of from 1.2 kHz to 100 kHz to the patient's spinal cord region, via at least one implanted signal delivery device positioned proximate to a target location within a vertebral range of from about C8 to about T12, for a duration of between about 30 minutes and about 120 minutes while the patient is prandial.
18. The method of claim 17 wherein the electrical signal is a first electrical signal, and wherein programming the implantable signal generator includes programming the implantable signal generator to deliver a second electrical signal different than the first electrical signal during a post-prandial phase after the duration of between about 30 minutes and about 120 minutes.
19. The method of claim 18 wherein the beginning of the prandial event is detected via one or more sensors configured to monitor the patient's blood glucose levels.
20. The method of claim 17 wherein programming the implantable signal generator includes programming the implantable signal generator to automatically deliver the electrical signal after detecting a beginning of a prandial event.
21. The method of claim 17 wherein the blood glucose abnormality includes type 2 diabetes (T2D).
22. The method of claim 17 wherein the target location is offset from a longitudinal midline of the patient's spinal cord.
23. The method of claim 17 wherein the electrical signal has a frequency in a frequency range of from 5 kHz to 50 kHz.
24. The method of claim 17 wherein the electrical signal has a frequency in a frequency range of from 5 kHz to 15 kHz.
25. The method of claim 17 wherein the electrical signal has a pulse width in a pulse width range of from 10 microseconds to 166 microseconds.
26. The method of claim 17 wherein the electrical signal has an amplitude from about 20% of the patient's sensory threshold to about 90% of the patient's sensory threshold.
27. The method of claim 17 wherein the target location is from T4 to T6.
28. The method of claim 27 wherein the electrical signal inhibits one or more of the patient's sympathetic nerves associated with the patient's liver.
29. The method of claim 17 wherein the electrical signal modulates sympathetic preganglionic neurons.
30. The method of claim 29 wherein the electrical signal stimulates sympathetic interneurons that project to the sympathetic preganglionic neurons.
31. The method of claim 30 wherein the sympathetic interneurons are located in lamina X of the patient's spinal cord.
32. The method of claim 17 wherein the electrical signal promotes glucose uptake in the patient's liver and/or lowers the patient's post-prandial blood glucose levels.
33. The method of claim 17 wherein the electrical signal reduces the patient's blood glucose level.
34. The method of claim 17 wherein the electrical signal reduces a level of HbA1c in the patient.