News for December 2008

Thank you! A really big thank you to all of you who have helped us by completing and returning our research priorities questionnaire. We have had a very good response, over 60% of you replied.

There have been several changes and also exciting progressions since our last newsletter in December.

Rosemary Sowden, is now back at the helm of the Peninsula Diabetes Research Network, after her year’s secondment as Assistant Director of the UK DRN. It is good to have Rosemary with us as Network Manager again, so welcome back.

Stephanie Estcourt has been appointed as the Diabetes Clinical Trials Manager for the Exeter research team.

Research studies in progress in Exeter

We currently have a wide range of commercial and non-commercial studies running in Exeter. These studies are all at different stages, some are in the early stages of recruitment, others are fully recruited and in the follow-up phase, some are long-term ongoing studies and others are in the process of being analysed or have closed.

DRN 002 – This study involves trialing a new type of insulin in pregnant or planning to be pregnant women with Type 1 Diabetes.

DRN 116 – This study investigates the use of a new oral medication for people with Type 2 Diabetes, which can be taken in conjunction with Metformin.

4T– This study involves adding insulin to oral medication to achieve tight control in patients with Type 2 Diabetes.

DRN 010 – a recently opened study investigating the effectiveness and safety of an intravenous monoclonal antibody given to patients with recently diagnosed Type 1 Diabetes.

DRN 026 – this study compared the effects of a low carbohydrate diet versus a healthy eating diet in patients with Type 2 Diabetes. Analysis of the final data is ongoing and the results are being presented at the Diabetes UK conference in March 2009.

DRN 082 – Diabetes Alliance for Research in England is a study looking at the genetic and environmental factors of diabetes.

ADDRESS– After Diagnosis Diabetes Research Support System, a study recruiting patients, newly diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes and following their progress on yearly basis.

DRN 144 – a national non-commercial trial involving the administration of a new combination of intravenous therapy in the care of patients with active Charcot foot disease.

DRN 176 – a local non-commercial study investigating the bone density of patients with Charcot foot disease, using MRI.

Other work includes the DRN research team identifying patients with diabetes that are willing to be contacted in the future for involvement in research as well as identifying potential new studies to add to our portfolio.

Patient and Carer Involvement Workshops

After the two very successful workshops earlier this year, we plan to hold two workshops in the spring of 2009. One of these will be an introduction to diabetes research style workshop. The other will be organised on a specific topic of diabetes research, as a follow-up for any interested people who have attended one of our previous events. We will keep you posted on these, and hope that you will be interested to attend.

Volunteering with our local research network

Thanks once again to those who kindly volunteered in the summer to help with collation of our retinal screening leaflets. When other volunteering opportunities arise, we will be in contact with you; in the meantime if anyone else is interested in helping us out, whether in the office, or at an educational event, please let Alison know. Again, thank you to all of you who volunteer to take part in diabetes research.

Update from the team in Cornwall Diabetes Research Team

As a newly established research team, one of our priorities over the last 18 months has been to establish strong links with primary care and the community.  In the summer of 2007 we contacted all GPs in Cornwall by letter to introduce the Diabetes Research Network, and then went on to visit about 15 surgeries to provide further information about the Cornwall team.  We had a very positive response from the practices – most were very happy to be approached again, once studies were in progress, and the DARE study was particularly well received.

Two of the larger surgeries were then asked if they would be interested in mailing all their diabetes patients requesting permission for contact by the local DRN team.  This was funded by the DRN in order that the surgery remained cost neutral.  We received a fantastic response from this approach – over 450 patients gave permission for us to contact them.  We are able to approach all these potential participants about the DARE study, and have been overwhelmed at the willingness of Cornish patients to take part in the project.  In the future, we would like to extend the ‘permission to contact’ register to other surgeries in the county.

We regularly have a display in the main corridor of the Royal Cornwall Hospital, giving information about the Cornwall Diabetes Research Team, as well as particular research studies such as DARE.  Again, we have been delighted at the number of patients, visitors and staff who take the time to pick up a leaflet and return it to us – some with no personal or family history of diabetes, but just keen to help.

Merry Christmas and
Best wishes for 2009!

With best wishes to you all, and Season’s Greetings

Rosemary Sowden – Peninsula Diabetes Research Network Manager

Alison Foden – Peninsula Diabetes Research Network Administrator