An insight into paper-based microfluidic devices for diabetes diagnosis: Fabrication, detection, and applications

Worldwide, diabetes mellitus (DM) is a prevalent non-communicable disease that can result in severe consequences. Therapy and management of the disease depend on early diagnosis and stringent glycemic control. The advancement of medical research and technology has undoubtedly enhanced the accuracy and efficacy of clinical treatments; yet, the high cost and complexity of these technologies have hindered their widespread adoption in less developed regions. Compared to laboratory-based technologies, point-of-care/need (POC/N) sensing devices have drawn attention for clinical and environmental sample analysis owing to ease of fabrication from basic materials, low cost, quick test times, and low reagent and sample requirements. The porous nature of paper, flow control, and storage of samples and reagents make it suitable as a substrate for these devices. Till now, the potential of paper-based microfluidic devices (μPADs) in diabetes management has been unexplored. Microfluidics is a key technology in modern analytical chemistry that would be very useful in automation, miniaturization, and quick analytics in diabetes diagnosis. This current review gives insight into the various fabrication techniques for μPADs and detection methods for diabetes management. This information will be helpful for researchers to develop novel microfluidic devices for the timely detection and effective treatment of diabetes.