JDRF - Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation

A move towards individualised insulin therapy targets

After extensive discussion in Australia and overseas, Australian diabetes health professionals have released a new position statement on blood sugar targets for people with type 1 diabetes. Following the results of the Diabetes Control and Complications trial, the ideal target of a HbA1c of 7% was set across the board.

Recent research has suggested that one size may not fit all and to address this, the Australian Diabetes Society now officially recommends that people with severe hypoglycemia or hypoglycemia unawareness should set their HbA1c targets at 8% or less.

Medical Journal of Australia

Diabetic ketoacidosis still common

Research from Germany has indicated that one in five children diagnosed with type 1 diabetes will suffer severe diabetic ketoacidosis at disease onset – a rate that has remained constant over the last 13 years even though major have been made in diabetes care during that time.

It has been suggested that this may result from a lack of recognition of symptoms by general clinicians. In many cases this leads to a dangerous delay in diagnosis, resulting in an increased risk of complications like ketoacidosis and removing the opportunity to protect remaining insulin-producing cells.

The International Diabetes Federation has called for increased public awareness of the early symptoms of type 1 diabetes leading up to World Diabetes Day on November 14, 2009.

Diabetes Care

Australian researchers discover molecule involved with beta cell death

A JDRF-funded research team from the Walter and Eliza Hall Institute has conclusively identified the role of a molecule suspected of triggering the death of beta cells. Researchers showed that the molecule – called Fas ligand – is present in two different forms.

One protects against autoimmunity and the other, in large concentrations, can increase the risk of autoimmune attack. Researchers are now looking to use this knowledge to create a therapy to slow down the autoimmune attack or prevent type 1 diabetes onset altogether.

Nature

MRI may help physicians diagnose type 1 diabetes

A non-invasive MRI scan may help clinicians to diagnose and identify suitable treatment plans for, type 1 diabetes.

According to researchers at Harvard Medical School, MRI scans can evaluate beta cell mass as well as detect any inflammation of the pancreas. This technique will therefore identify if a person is experiencing the autoimmune process associated with type 1 diabetes, as well as calculating how many functioning beta cells might be left.

Having this information would allow clinicians to prescribe a treatment plan suitable for the disease stage.