A small pilot study in which the researchers tried to delay the attacks mounted by the immune system against insulin producing cells in type 1 diabetes has given promising results.The study, conducted by researchers from the University of Linköping, in Sweden, is detailed in the scientific journal 'New England Journal of Medicine'.
Type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune disease in which the body loses its ability to produce insulin.During the development of the pathology, the body's own immune system attacks the beta cells of insulin in the pancreas, which often results in the presence of antibodies against the body's own proteins in beta cells.One of these proteins is GAD65 (decarboxylase glutamic acid) and there are already several clinical trials of a drug known as GAD-ALUM, based on GAD65.
In this new research-called Diagnode-, researchers at Linköping University have injected Gad-Alum directly into the lymph nodes in the groin, instead of under the skin, in order to determine if this makes the answerImmune is more tolerant with the GAD protein of the body itself.This method is similar to one known as "allergen immunotherapy" used in certain allergy treatments, where tolerance against an allergenic substance is induced.
Six patients aged 20 to 22 who had been diagnosed with type 1 diabetes were included in the study and a small dose of GAD-ALUM were injected three times and took vitamin D supplements during the study period, which can reduce the inflammatory response of the immune system.
The progression of diabetes differs between people
"The results for these six patients are very promine.More patients before being able to say something about the effectiveness of treatment, but the results so far are very exciting, "says the main researcher of the study, Johnny Ludvigsson, professor at the University of Linköping.
The pilot study did not have a patient control group that did not receive the treatment that is being tested, but, instead, compare the results with those of other studies with unreasonable patients.The long -term blood sugar level (HBA1C) and the need to inject extra insulin fell into patients in the current study, in addition to their natural insulin production remained at a stable level.
The six patients were followed for at least six months;Four of them for more than 15 months, but researchers plan to continue the study by increasing the number of participants, and including younger patients."If these results are confirmed when more patients are studied, it would be a very important advance. The way in which type 1 diabetes progresses differs among individuals for many reasons and this means that it is not necessary to find a treatment that has excellent effects for all for all.