Innovative Product “Moveo” for Early Detection of Diabetic Neuropathy Promoted – Distribution to First Users in December

The promotion and soft-launch of the innovative product “Moveo” by the company Divs Technology was held last Thursday at the premises of the “Digital Serbia” Initiative. “Moveo” is an informative-educational product which is meant primarily to people with diabetes (diabetes mellitus type 1 and type 2), for the purpose of movement evaluation, and to the end of a proper monitoring of the damage to the peripheral nervous system caused by diabetes.

At Divs Technology, they point out that the aim of the promotion, in addition to promoting the “Moveo” device, was for the participants to learn more about diabetic neuropathy, its proper monitoring and the prevention of complications related to diabetes.

– The presentation of “Moveo” also aimed to increase the awareness of the preservation of the health of the peripheral nervous system and show how “Moveo” can help with it. The promotion plan included introducing the first test-users of “Moveo” to the technology, the hardware and the platform, and the response was great – said Vladimir Jeftovic, the director of Divs Technology.

He added that the plan was for the “Moveo” device to be ready for distribution to the first users for free in the first half of December 2022.

The further development plan includes upgrades to “Moveo” as a device and a platform. Adding new functionalities and improving the existing ones based on the opinion of the first users is planned for the coming period. The plan also includes the expansion of clinical tests and the publishing of the first scientific publication based on the existing results.

After the introductory presentation of the “Moveo” device, done by Vladimir Jeftovic, the attendees had the opportunity to take part in the panel discussion where the topics of diabetes, the complications and prevention of diabetic neuropathy and the importance of adequate monitoring from the aspect of chronic diseases were discussed by professor Dr Vesna Dimitrijevic Sreckovic, endocrinologist (University Clinical Center of Serbia), assistant professor Dr Stojan Peric, neurologist (University Clinical Center of Serbia), associate professor Dr Ivan Soldatovic (Faculty of Medicine at the University of Belgrade and co-founder of Divs Technology), Dr Irena Jeftovic Velkova, neurologist (co-founder of Divs Technology, General Hospital Loznica), as well as Bojana Markovic, a representative and co-founder of the “Plavi Krug” Association.

The presentation was attended by members of “Plavi Krug”, entrepreneurs, IT experts and others.

250,000 potential users

In Serbia, there are around 500,000 people suffering from diabetes. Around a half have diabetic polyneuropathy, which means that 250,000 people have diabetic polyneuropathy, and there are 400 neurologists in Serbia. And everybody who has diabetes mellitus type 2 should visit a neurologist at least once a year in order to check the state of the polyneuropathy, which is practically impossible. The neurologist should, in that case, only examine patients with diabetic polyneuropathy, Dr Stojan Peric, a neurologist and an assistant professor at the Clinical Center of Serbia, pointed out at the panel discussion.

Among other things, he said that the frequency of diabetic neuropathy in the phase when the disease (diabetes mellitus, author’s comment) is diagnosed is 10%.

– After 20 years of having diabetes, 70% people have diabetic polyneuropathy, so the duration of diabetes is one factor we can’t change, and which increases the risk of the development of diabetic neuropathy, but it’s interesting that 20% people never get diabetic neuropathy. They have protective factors which we are not yet that familiar with – Dr Peric pointed out.

Professor Dr Vesna Dimitrijevic Sreckovic, an endocrinologist at the Clinical Center of Serbia, explained that the symptoms of diabetic polyneuropathy usually include sensations such as tingling, burning, or leg pain.

– There are also night cramps, as well as a feeling like walking on pins or like having cushions on your feet, like having small boots or socks which constrict you. They most frequently affect the lower extremities, though it’s not rare for sensations to occur in the upper extremities either – said professor Dr Dimitrijevic Sreckovic and added that diabetic polyneuropathy was a complication that mustn’t be neglected and that it was very important to discover on time why it accompanied the diabetic foot.

– Upon the completion of my specialization, after working at the outpatient clinic for several days, I realized that people with diabetes mellitus come to get checked by the neurologist too late. That’s where the idea was born, considering how many people there are who have diabetes and how difficult it is to schedule an appointment with the neurologist. It is practically impossible for all people with diabetes mellitus to be examined on time, at least once a year, so we got the idea that we might analyze the movements of people who have diabetes mellitus and, by monitoring the movements and the irregularities in the movements, conclude what state the peripheral nervous system is in. To indirectly conclude whether there are signs of diabetic polyneuropathy – clarified Dr Irena Jeftovic Velkova, a co-founder of Divs Technology and a neurologist at the General Hospital in Loznica.

Associate professor Dr Ivan Soldatovic from the Faculty of Medicine at the University of Belgrade and a co-founder of Divs Technology explained that they had carried out the first pilot phase on 27 patients.

– All the patients, including the healthy control group, went through the electromyoneurography (EMNG) check and the “Moveo” test. What’s most interesting, we got very high correlations between certain signals of the “Moveo” device and the EMNG results. That high a correlation degree is not expected in human conditions, and we had correlations of over 0.6 and 0.7. We realized that certain movements describe the state of a nerve incredibly well, so we are more than satisfied with the results of the pilot phase and we hope to soon move on to the next research phase. Thanks to the good results, a publication has also been prepared, which we expect to be published soon in an expert medical magazine – pointed out associate professor Dr Soldatovic.

At the “Plavi Krug” Association, they are eagerly awaiting the first “Moveo” devices, which will be provided to users for personal use soon. Bojana Markovic, the association’s founder, points out that the principles by which “Moveo” functions is a great step forward in the prevention of neurological problems in people with diabetes, as well as in those who already have a developed complication, in which case they can monitor the state of it, whether it is getting better or worse.

– That is important progress in the treatment of polyneuropathy, because there are very many people who live with diabetes. Its importance is apparent for both patients and doctors, who will now make diagnoses more easily, although the device is not yet registered as a medical aid, but we are moving toward having it be an official device which will be adopted as a medical aid. A person who has diabetes can use the “Moveo” device to see what their current neurological state is and it can prevent the occurrence of polyneuropathy or help those who already have those problems to monitor their condition. That is the essence of all the technologies that are developed nowadays, to work on preventing the complications that can develop from diabetes. Because, by using certain therapies and through physical activity, the state can improve – pointed out Bojana Markovic.

During the panel discussion, she pointed out that, in her case, diabetic neuropathy had been detected very late.

– It was only after 17 years of having diabetes that I was sent to a neurologist, so I’m certainly glad that something has been developed that can help people who already have a developed polyneuropathy to be able to see and monitor the state of their polyneuropathy, whether the therapy is suitable or whether they are physically active and how much of an impact that has – Markovic said.

Senka Trivic

Divs neuroinformatics doo Beograd

Klinički centar Srbije Beograd

Medicinski fakultet Beograd

Opšta bolnica Loznica

Divs Technology

Association Plavi krug

Clinical Center of Serbia Faculty of Medicine at the University of Belgrade

General Hospital Loznica

Vladimir Jeftović

Bojana Marković

Vesna Dimitrijević Srećković

Stojan Perić

Ivan Soldatović

Irena Jeftović Velkova

Moveo

Moveo device

diabetes

polyneuropathy

diabetes mellitus

damage to the peripheral nervous system

diabetic neuropathy

diabetic foot