World Diabetes Day

In 2010, it was estimated that 285m people were living with diabetes. This number is expected to grow to 438m in the next 20 years – that’s 7.8% of the adult population. Those are sobering statistics, but it’s not all bad news.

Here are some encouraging facts and figures followed by some of the medical breakthroughs that have been happening in the past year:

Research:

Artificial pancreas

One of the biggest research stories of the year has been the breakthrough in the development of the artificial pancreas. This is being developed to close the loop for those people who use a continuous glucose monitor (a CGM) in conjunction with an insulin pump. The hope is that the device can help these two devices talk to each other and adjust insulin automatically. At the moment, a person is alerted if their blood sugar fluctuates but has to adjust their insulin manually. Although not a cure for Type 1 diabetes, its importance in managing glucose control would help reduce the risk of long-term complications and reduce the risk of hypos.

Research into eye health

Eyes are some of the most vulnerable organs for a person with diabetes and it is an active field of research, especially into the complication known as diabetic retinopathy. Diabetes UK has been funding a number of research projects, including a study into the effects of cataract surgery on people with diabetes, and two research projects into two different types of proteins that may be the keys to unlocking new treatments for retinopathy.

Type 1 vaccines

Researchers around the world are getting closer to finding a vaccine against Type 1 diabetes. A nanoparticle vaccine has been successfully tested on mice by researchers at the Univ of Calgary, Canada. It is hoped that this vaccine could also prove helpful in developing treatments for other autoimmune diseases, including MS and lupus. In the meantime, researchers from King’s College London and Bristol University are conducting ongoing human trials to develop and refine a Type 1 vaccine that uses proinsulin to stop white blood cells from attacking a person’s insulin producing cells. 

Testings through tear samples

Glucose tests may soon become painless. A new sensor developed for people with Type 2 diabetes uses a tear sample to measure blood glucose levels. As it would replace the finger prick, it may encourage people to test more often during the day, helping them take better control of their diabetes.  

With new breakthroughs happening every day, what might change your life in the coming year?