DETERMINING MINIMALLY INVASIVE ALTERNATIVES TO GLUCOSE, PROINSULIN AND C-PEPTIDE IN EARLY-STAGE TYPE 1 DIABETES

Research summary

Type 1 diabetes (T1D) is a chronic disease, affecting around 1 in 350 children under the age of 15. Treatment is with life-long insulin and is typically started as an emergency when children present with dangerously high glucose (sugar) levels to their doctor. However, T1D has recognised stages before symptoms develop, providing an opportunity for early diagnosis, education and treatment before severe illness. Tests which help diagnose patients and tell doctors when a person may be soon need insulin treatment include the oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT). Another research test which can also be helpful measures proinsulin to C-peptide ratio (these are proteins which are part of the body’s process which makes insulin). Both tests are currently done in a hospital and involve the use of a cannula (a plastic tube inserted in the vein) to take a series of blood tests before and after a sugary drink. These tests take 2-3 hours and can be upsetting and/or painful for children and young people. This study wants to find easier ways to do these tests in children with early-stage T1D such as using finger-prick sampling that can potentially be undertaken at home. To do this we will recruit 49 children across different stages of development of T1D, different ages and weights. There will be two study visits, the first will test whether we can use a finger-prick rather than a blood test with a needle to do the OGTT and proinsulin tests. We will assess the accuracy of measuring glucose, proinsulin and C-peptide from a finger-prick blood test when compared to a blood test from the vein. The second visit will test whether a premade, weight banded sugary drink can be used instead of glucose specially measured out based on the patient’s weight.

Principal Investigator

Dr Rachel Besser

Contact us

Email: childrensresearch@ouh.nhs.uk

IRAS number

342301