diabetes

A world-first clinical trial has found that baricitinib, a drug commonly prescribed for rheumatoid arthritis, preserved the pancreatic cells’ ability to produce their own insulin and slowed the progression of type 1 diabetes in those recently diagnosed with the condition. The drug shows promise as the first disease-modifying treatment for type 1 diabetes that can be given as a tablet.Type 1 diabetes occurs when the body’s immune system attacks and destroys the pancreas’ insulin-secreting cells. However, because the…

Scientists have developed a new implantable device that has the potential to change the way Type 1 diabetics receive insulin. The thread-like implant, or SHEATH (Subcutaneous Host-Enabled Alginate THread), is installed in a two-step process that ultimately leads to the deployment of “islet devices,” which are derived from the cells that produce insulin in our bodies naturally.First, the scientists figured out a way to insert nylon catheters under the skin, where they remain for up to six weeks. After insertion, blood…

Researchers have developed a technique to implant a thread-like device containing insulin-secreting pancreatic cells in a pocket under the skin. The device reversed type 1 diabetes in mice and didn’t require the administration of anti-rejection drugs. The device could one day provide an alternative to insulin injections.In type 1 diabetes, the body’s immune system attacks and destroys the insulin-producing cells of the pancreas, called islet cells, preventing the secretion of insulin and necessitating the lifelong…

Recent research at the EASD meeting reveals that certain medications, low fasting blood sugar, and cardiovascular conditions significantly increase sudden cardiac arrest risk in type 2 diabetics, underscoring the need for careful management by GPs. Low fasting blood sugar is associated with sudden cardiac arrest (SCA), a leading cause of mortality. Recent findings presented at the European Association for the Study of Diabetes Annual Meeting in Hamburg, Germany, highlight several factors linked to an increased risk of…

The feasibility of lasting remission from diabetes is a hotly contested subject with one side citing successful studies and the other questioning long-term practicality and current remission definitions. Experts recently discussed if lasting remission from diabetes is feasible in the real-world setting at this year’s Annual Meeting of the European Association for the Study of Diabetes (EASD) in Hamburg, Germany. Professor Roy Taylor of Newcastle University, Newcastle, UK, spoke in support of the motion Professor Taylor…

Pfizer on Friday said it would stop developing the twice-daily version of its experimental weight loss pill after obese patients taking the drug lost weight but had trouble tolerating the drug in a mid-stage clinical study. The drugmaker observed high rates of adverse side effects, which were mostly mild and gastrointestinal, among patients. A significant share of patients also stopped taking the drug in the trial."At this time, twice-daily danuglipron formulation will not advance into Phase 3 studies," the company…

A study out this week suggests that semaglutide—the active ingredient in popular obesity drug Wegovy—might be able to help people struggling with alcohol use disorder, too. In a small sample of cases, researchers found evidence that people who took semaglutide for weight loss also experienced a significant reduction in alcohol dependence symptoms. The team and other scientists have begun to conduct clinical trials to further explore this link.Like It or Not, Your Doctor Will Use AI | AI UnlockedSemaglutide is a synthetic…

The Journal of Clinical Psychiatry published a study from the University of Oklahoma and Oklahoma State University, revealing that semaglutide may significantly reduce Alcohol Use Disorder (AUD) symptoms. Originally approved for diabetes and weight loss, semaglutide now shows promise in the field of addiction medicine.Recent research indicates that semaglutide, a drug used for diabetes and weight loss, could effectively reduce symptoms of Alcohol Use Disorder. This finding, based on a study involving six patients, opens…

This story is part of CBC Health's Second Opinion, a weekly analysis of health and medical science news emailed to subscribers on Saturday mornings. If you haven't subscribed yet, you can do that by clicking here.Shift workers sleeping at erratic hours. Students pulling all-nighters. Menopausal women tossing and turning in bed from hot flashes.There are a host of reasons why people have periods of poor sleep. And anyone who's endured back-to-back nights of sub-par slumber likely knows the result: Feelings of brain fog,…

This story is part of CBC Health's Second Opinion, a weekly analysis of health and medical science news emailed to subscribers on Saturday mornings. If you haven't subscribed yet, you can do that by clicking here.The impacts of climate change hit Canada hard in recent years, from the deadly heat dome of 2021 to the country's worst-ever wildfire season last summer. And those devastating environmental disasters provoked a lot of anxiety among pregnant individuals."Pregnancy, even without heat and smoke, is a time when…