Therapeutic modulation to treat blood glucose abnormalities, including type 2 diabetes, and/or reduce hba1c levels, and associated systems and methods

Abstract

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 - 97 . (canceled) 
     
     
         98 . A method of treating a patient having an elevated Hba1c level, the method comprising:
 in response to the patient having the elevated Hba1c level, programming a signal generator to deliver an electrical signal to the patient's spinal cord region via at least one implanted signal delivery element, wherein the electrical signal reduces the patient's Hba1c level without generating paresthesia in the patient.   
     
     
         99 . The method of  claim 98  wherein the electrical signal reduces the patient's Hba1c level relative to the patient's Hba1c level prior to administration of the electrical signal to the patient's spinal cord region. 
     
     
         100 . The method of  claim 98  wherein the electrical signal reduces the patient's HbA1c level by at least about 1%. 
     
     
         101 . The method of  claim 98  wherein the electrical signal reduces the patient's HbA1c level by at least about 3%. 
     
     
         102 . The method of  claim 98  wherein the electrical signal reduces the patient's HbA1c level by at least about 5%. 
     
     
         103 . The method of  claim 98  wherein the electrical signal reduces the patient's HbA1c level by at least about 10%. 
     
     
         104 . The method of  claim 98  wherein the electrical signal has a frequency in a frequency range of from 1.2 kHz to 100 kHz. 
     
     
         105 . The method of  claim 104  wherein the frequency range is from 5 kHz to 15 kHz. 
     
     
         106 . The method of  claim 98  wherein the electrical signal has a pulse width in a pulse width range of from 10 microseconds to 166 microseconds. 
     
     
         107 . The method of  claim 98  wherein the frequency range is from  5  kHz to 25 kHz and wherein the electrical signal has a pulse width in a pulse width range of from 20 microseconds to 100 microseconds, and an amplitude in an amplitude range of from 1 mA to 10 mA. 
     
     
         108 . The method of  claim 98  wherein the implanted signal delivery element is positioned to deliver the electrical signal to neurons of the intermediolateral cell column. 
     
     
         109 . The method of  claim 98  wherein the electrical signal modulates sympathetic interneurons and/or sympathetic preganglionic neurons to reduce the patient's HbA1c level. 
     
     
         110 . The method of  claim 98  wherein the elevated HbA1c level is associated with the patient having Type 2 diabetes. 
     
     
         111 . A method of treating a patient having an elevated Hba1c level, the method comprising:
 in response to the patient having the elevated Hba1c level, delivering an electrical signal to the patient's spinal cord region via at least one implanted signal delivery element, wherein the electrical signal does not generate paresthesia in the patient, and wherein the electrical signal reduces the patient's Hba1c level.   
     
     
         112 . The method of  claim 111  wherein the electrical signal reduces the patient's HbA1c level by at least about 3% relative to a baseline HbA1c level prior to delivering the electrical signal to the patient's spinal cord region. 
     
     
         113 . The method of  claim 111  wherein the electrical signal reduces the patient's HbA1c level by at least about 7% relative to a baseline HbA1c level prior to delivering the electrical signal to the patient's spinal cord region. 
     
     
         114 . The method of  claim 111  wherein the electrical signal has a frequency within a freuqency range of from 1.2 kHz to 100 kHz. 
     
     
         115 . The method of  claim 114  wherein the frequency range is from 5 kHz to 50 kHz and wherein the electrical signal has a pulse width in a pulse width range of from 10 microseconds to 166 microseconds, and an amplitude in an amplitude range of from 1 mA to 10 mA. 
     
     
         116 . The method of  claim 111  wherein the electrical signal is delivered to neurons of the intermediolateral cell column. 
     
     
         117 . The method of  claim 111  wherein the electrical signal modulates sympathetic interneurons and/or sympathetic preganglionic neurons to reduce the patient's HbA1c level. 
     
     
         118 . The method of  claim 111  wherein the elevated HbA1c level is associated with the patient having Type 2 diabetes. 
     
     
         119 . The method of  claim 111  further comprising:
 measuring the patient's HbA1c level via a patient sensor; and 
 adjusting at least one parameter of the electrical signal based on the measured HbA1c level. 
 
     
     
         120 . A method of treating a patient having Type 2 diabetes, the method comprising:
 in response to the patient having elevated HbA1c levels as a result of the patient's Type 2 diabetes, programming a signal generator to deliver a paresthesia-free electrical signal to the patient's spinal cord region via at least one implanted signal delivery element,   wherein the electrical signal reduces the patient's HbA1c levels relative to a baseline of the patient's HbA1c level prior to receiving the electrical signal.   
     
     
         121 . The method of  claim 120  wherein wherein the electrical signal has a frequency within a frequency range of from 1.2 kHz to 100 kHz, a pulse width in a pulse width range of from 10 microseconds to 166 microseconds, and an amplitude in an amplitude range of from 1 mA to 10 mA. 
     
     
         122 . The method of  claim 120  wherein electrical signal modulates sympathetic interneurons and/or sympathetic preganglionic neurons to reduce the patient's HbA1c level.