At the end of 2021 some very exciting research got released about a new transplant treatment for type 1 diabetes.
This is looking incredibly promising and is something to look forward to in the future!
Keep reading for all the details!
The details
Pancreatic beta cells were derived from stem cells of an individual without type 1, and placed into an individual living with type 1 diabetes.
The patient has been living with type 1 diabetes for 40 years and has been on insulin injections for this period of time.
The results showed big improvements in HbA1c, glycaemic control and drastically decreased the need to inject insulin.
This shows how promising this treatment could be in restoring the function of insulin producing cells in the pancreas and giving people living with diabetes more normal lives.
The cons
Before we get ahead of ourselves, there are of course cons to all treatments, so lets consider this.
Immunosuppressant therapy also has to be administered to prevent the immune system from re-destroying pancreatic beta cells.
Increased risk of infections, loss of appetite, nausea and trembling are all potential side effects of taking immunosuppressants. So of course there is a lot for medical professionals and researchers to consider.
This is potentially a breakthrough treatment for type 1 and it will only advance more in years to come. People living with type 1 should absolutely get excited about the news, this could lead to less insulin injections, elevating hypo’s and preventing the potential long term complications of diabetes.
If you would like to read more, like here!
Thank you for reading A new transplant treatment for t1d! I hope you found this exciting, be sure to subscribe and following me on Instagram!
If you liked this post, be sure to check out Diabetes technology 101! and The side of diabetes people don’t see