Biosensors and Nanotheranostics
Bionanotechnology, Drug Delivery, Therapeutics | online ISSN 3064-7789
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Volume 4 Number 1 2025
REVIEWS (Open Access)
Nanomaterial-Enhanced Microneedles for Interstitial Monitoring and Therapeutic Applications: A Systematic Review
Kamilia Badrina Mohamed Kamal 1, Anisah Najwa 1, HA Latib 1, Fouad Saleh AL Suede 1*
Biosensors and Nanotheranostics 4 (1) 1-8 https://doi.org/10.25163/biosciences.4110523
Submitted: 27 July 2025 Revised: 18 September 2025 Accepted: 24 September 2025 Published: 25 September 2025
Abstract
Microneedle (MN) technologies have rapidly evolved from experimental prototypes to multifunctional biomedical platforms capable of minimally invasive interstitial fluid (ISF) monitoring and targeted therapeutic delivery. This systematic review synthesized evidence and evaluating diagnostic accuracy and therapeutic efficacy of nanomaterial-enhanced microneedle (NE-MN) systems. Following PRISMA 2020 guidelines, studies involving human, animal, and in vitro/ex vivo models were included. For glucose monitoring, pooled analyses demonstrated strong concordance between MN-based ISF glucose and capillary blood (CB) measurements under resting postprandial conditions (r = 0.88; R² = 0.8243; n = 87 data pairs). However, correlation declined during moderate (r = 0.60; R² = 0.3628; n = 94) and intensive exercise (R² = 0.4931; n = 82), reflecting physiological variability in glucose kinetics. Effect size analysis (Cohen’s d = 1.62) indicated substantial sensitivity of MN systems in distinguishing metabolic states. In preclinical glucose sensing models, R² values reached 0.981, demonstrating high analytical performance. Therapeutic NE-MNs incorporating nanozymes, PEGylated liposomes, Ag–Pt nanoparticles, and soluble nanoparticle systems showed reproducible efficacy, including 91.5% apoptosis in skin cancer models and significant reductions in adiposity and infection burden in animal studies. Random-effects modeling confirmed overall favorable performance despite heterogeneity across device architectures and endpoints. Collectively, nanomaterial integration enhances electrochemical sensitivity, catalytic activity, and drug permeation efficiency. While resting-state diagnostic accuracy is strong, dynamic physiological conditions introduce variability that warrants adaptive calibration and standardized validation frameworks. NE-MNs represent a promising bridge between biosensing and therapy, supporting future integration with AI-driven analytics for personalized healthcare.
Keywords: Microneedles; Interstitial Fluid; Nanomaterials; Glucose Monitoring; Therapeutic Delivery
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