Link between residual beta cell function and glycemic variability in (pre)type 1 diabetes (FWOAL596)

Type 1 diabetes develops when 60 to 90% of insulin-producing beta cells have been destroyed. This cell loss leads to greater variability of blood glucose levels both before and after diagnosis. This variability is predictive of progression to clinical onset of diabetes in risk groups and of frequence of hypoglycemic events in patients. Novel beta cell therapy trials aim to prevent or cure diabetes by trying to preserve or restore functional beta cell mass. In preparation of future trials the collaborating teams of the present application have validated dynamic tests to measure functional beta cell mass in vivo through prolonged stimulation of beta cells by elevated glucose levels (hyperglycemic clamp tests). The present application proposes to measure glycemic variability by continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) and frequent self-monitoring of blood glucose (SBMG) in 40 recent-onset type 1 diabetic patients and in 40 high-risk relatives (>50% 5-year risk of diabetes) (age 12-39 years)

Keywords:Cell Therapy, Prevention, Transplantation, Diagnostic Tests, Immunology, Cell Death and Survival, Islet Cell Pathology, Islet Cell Biology, Beta Cell Transplantation, Diabetes

Disciplines:Basic sciences, Biological sciences