Diabetes treatments continue to advance at a steady pace. It may feel like a snails pace for those of us stuck in the daily grind, but good things are indeed happening.
This week we'd like to highlight two recent studies that show genuine promise for people with diabetes.
Limiting or Curing Diabetes Retinopathy
Researchers have uncovered the mechanism that causes cell death in a high glucose environment. More importantly, they have found a method for stopping the cell death. Treatments based on this finding may reduce retinopathy - or possibly cure it altogether!
Improving Blood Sugars with an "Artifical Pancreas"
A study funded by the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (JDRF) found that wearing an artificial pancreas overnight improved blood sugars in adolescents. An artificial pancreas uses a continuous glucose monitor to adjust insulin delivery settings on a pump automatically. Although we are a long way from a reliable, automated, 24-hour insulin delivery system, this is an important first step.
We all hope that a real cure is on the horizon. But even if it's not, we can take comfort in the steady drip-drip-drip in advances that make our lives better.
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