One of the biggest fears of many of us is that, over the years, complications such as kidney disease will appear.That is why I found it especially encouraging to learn the results of a new study with young people between 12 and 21 years old with type 1 diabetes.
The researchers tested a drug called dapagliflozin for 22 weeks, a drug that is already approved for other indications and belongs to the group of SGLT2 inhibitors.The interesting thing is that they not only observed an improvement in glucose control, but they found evidence that the drug reduces and even reverses some of the changes that cause kidney damage.
When analyzing kidney biopsies, they found that important processes such as oxidative stress, inflammation and fibrosis decreased, three factors that are closely related to the progression of diabetic nephropathy.In addition, treated participants showed more normalized kidney function, a very positive fact considering that almost one in three people with type 1 diabetes can develop chronic kidney disease throughout their lives.
Of course, it is important to remain cautious.Although the results are very promising, this does not mean that dapagliflozin will automatically become a standard treatment for all people with type 1 diabetes. SGLT2 inhibitors may increase the risk of diabetic ketoacidosis in people with type 1 diabetes, so their use requires very careful medical evaluation.
Even so, research like this shows that the future is not just about achieving better glucose levels.We are also moving towards treatments capable of protecting organs before irreversible damage occurs, something that a few years ago seemed much further away.
Each advance like this reminds us that research continues to advance and that, little by little, new tools appear to help us live longer and with a better quality of life.
SOURCE: Link
