View clinical trials related to Beta-cell Function.
Filter by:In recent months, a new coronavirus, SARS-CoV-2, has been identified as the cause of a serious lung infection named COVID-19 by the World Health Organization. This virus has spread rapidly among the nations of the world and it is the cause of a pandemic and a global health emergency. There is still very little scientific evidence on the virus, however epidemiological data suggest that one of the most frequent comorbidities is diabetes, along with hypertension and heart disease. There is no scientific evidence on the possible effects of this infection on the function of the β cell and on glycemic control. Clinical evidence seems to suggest that COVID-19 infection mostly affects the respiratory system, and an acute worsening of glycemic compensation is not described as generally observed in bacterial pneumonia. However, previous work on acute respiratory syndromes (SARS) caused by similar coronaviruses, had described that the infection has multi-organ involvement related to the expression of the SARS coronavirus receptor, the angiotensin 2 converting enzyme, in different organs, especially at the level of endocrine pancreatic tissue. In the population of this previous work, glucose intolerance and fasting hyperglycaemia have been described and in 37 of 39 diabetic patients examined, a remission of diabetes was observed three years after the infection. It is possible that the coronaviruses responsible for SARS may enter the pancreatic islets using the angiotensin 2 converting enzyme receptor, expressed at the level of the endocrine pancreas, thus causing diabetes. Additionally, previous literature on coronavirus infections (SARS and MERS or Middle-East Respiratory Syndrome) suggested that diabetes could worsen the evolution of the disease. In particular, in case of Middle-East Respiratory Syndrome-CoV infection, diabetic mice had a more prolonged serious illness and a delay in recovery regardless of the viremic titer. This could probably be due to a dysregulation of the immune response, which results in more serious and prolonged lung disease. There are currently no data on pancreatic beta cell function in patients with COVID-19.
Current efforts to arrest the epidemic of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) have had limited success. Thus there is an urgent need for effective approaches to prevent the development of T2DM. It is widely accepted that the current epidemic is driven by an increase in global food abundance and reduced food quality, making changes in diet a key determinant of the T2DM epidemic. Dietary factors can affect cardio-metabolic health; among these factors, advanced glycation end-products (AGEs) in food are potential risk factors for insulin resistance and T2DM. AGEs are a heterogeneous group of unavoidable stable bioactive compounds. Endogenous formation of AGEs is a continuous naturally occurring process, and is the result of normal metabolism. However, increased formation of AGEs occurs during ageing and under hyperglycaemic conditions. AGEs are implicated in the development of diabetes and vascular complications. Over the past several decades, methods of food processing have changed and meals now contain excess fat and sugar and are most susceptible for the formation of AGEs. In addition, AGEs in food are highly desirable due to their profound effect on shelf life, sterility, flavour, colour, and thus food consumption. Hence, a substantial portion of AGEs are derived from exogenous sources, particularly food. These exogenous AGEs are potential risk factors for insulin resistance and the development of T2DM. The investigators recently found that dietary AGEs represent a significant source of circulating AGEs, and have similar pathogenic properties compared to their endogenous counterparts including the development of insulin resistance and T2DM. Taken together, dietary AGEs are proposed to play a pivotal role in the development and progression of T2DM and its complications. Reduction of dietary intake of AGEs may therefore be an alternative strategy to reduce the risk of vascular disease and insulin resistance. The investigators therefore hypothesize that dietary restriction of AGEs in overweight individuals improves insulin sensitivity, β-cell function, and vascular function.
This is a large and comprehensively phenotyped cohort with fasting glycaemia where the predictive value of body composition and anthropometric measures of total and central fat distribution for postprandial carbohydrate intolerance are studied.
This is a family based genotype-phenotype study designed to assess genetic and environmental influences on obesity, insulin resistance and beta cell function in the context of gestational diabetes.
The investigators will assess whether the DPP-inhibitor sitagliptin will ameliorate glucocorticoid-induced impairment of glucose metabolism and beta-cell dysfunction and thus could be used as a prophylaxis for glucocorticoid-induced diabetes. Therefore the investigators will administer in males with the metabolic syndrome 30 mg prednisolone daily for two weeks and give simultaneously sitagliptin 100 mg daily. Subjects will undergo at baseline and after two weeks of treatment several tests to assess changes in glucose metabolism.