Research Summary
Our team is led by Doctor Hovorka and includes doctors, nurses and research staff at the Univeristy of Cambridge Metabolic Research Laboratories, Institute of Metabolic Science, Addenbrooke’s Hospital, Cambridge. We develop and test the artificial pancreas which is an emerging technology promising to transform the management of type 1 diabetes.
The artificial pancreas automatically delivers insulin according to real-time sensor glucose levels, combining glucose sensor, insulin pump and a control algorithm, to achieve as much as possible functionality of a healthy pancreas. We also apply the artificial pancreas in type 2 diabetes when patients are hospitalised for diabetes-related or other reasons on the general ward.
Our research builds on recent technological advances. Use of insulin pumps is increasing. In adults, insulin pumps have been shown to improve overall glucose control and reduce the occurrence of severe hypoglycaemia, as compared to multiple daily injection therapy. Adults, young people and their families are becoming increasingly familiar with insulin pumps and many have integrated pumps into their daily practice. A more recent technology, real-time continuous glucose monitoring, enables greater understanding of glucose excursions, provides low and high glucose alarms, and facilitates more responsive insulin dose adjustments.
Current Studies
As you know the CLOuD study is looking at the use of Closed Loop in young people recently diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes, but there are many other studies going on within the team, here is a quick summary.
DAN05 – the objective of this study is to find out if using Closed Loop with the low glucose feature will improve glucose control. 130 young people aged 6 to 18 years will be involved in the study for 12 months using either closed loop or an insulin pump. The following centres will recruit participants; Addenbrooke’s Hospital, Leeds Teaching Hospital, Stanford University, Barbara Davis Center for Diabetes, International Diabetes Center at Park Nicollet, Yale University School of Medicine
KidsAP02 – the objective of this study is to compare the closed loop system to sensor augmented pump therapy over two 4 months periods. 72 children aged 1 – 7 years old will be enrolled into the study. Addenbrooke’s Hospital, Leeds Teaching Hospital, University of Luxembourg, University of Leipzig, Medical University of Graz, Medical University of Innsbruck, Medical University of Vienna.
Future Studies – opening to recruitment soon
AP-Renal – the objective of the study is to compare fully closed loop insulin delivery to standard care in people with type 2 diabetes requiring maintenance dialysis over two periods of 20 days. The study will enroll participants at Addenbrooke’s Hospital and University Hospital Inselspital Bern.
AP@Home04 phase 3 – a blinded cross-over study comparing faster insulin aspart to insulin aspart. Participants will be recruited at Addenbrooke’s Hospital, Manchester Royal Infirmary , Medical University of Graz and University Hospital Inselspital Bern.
DAN06 – Glucose control when using the closed loop combined with pump suspend feature and sensor augmented insulin pump therapy will be compared in 36 older people with Type 1 Diabetes. Addenbrooke’s Hospital, Manchester Royal Infirmary and Sansum Diabetes Center.
ClinicalTrials.gov links
For more details information about the studies you can visit the study clinicaltrials.gov page.
