Do Sulphonylureas Preserve Cortical Function During Hypoglycaemia?

May 10, 2007 updated by: King's College Hospital NHS Trust
To see if using medication called sulphonylureas can help improve symptoms which patients rely on to recognise low blood glucose levels ( hypoglycaemia) and also to see if they can reduce the slowing down in brain function which occurs at hypoglycaemia.

Study Overview

Status

Unknown

Conditions

Intervention / Treatment

Detailed Description

Low blood glucose (hypoglycaemia) is the most common and important side effect of insulin treatment for diabetes. Most episodes are "mild" and lead to symptoms that alert the individual to raise their blood sugar level by consuming sugar or starch (carbohydrate). The body also responds to low blood sugars by producing hormones such as adrenaline and cortisol, which help to restore blood sugar levels to normal. As the brain relies on sugar for fuel, it does not function properly if blood sugar levels drop too low, resulting in confusion and in extreme cases reduced conscious levels.

Repeated hypoglycaemia can blunt the protective symptoms and hormonal responses to hypoglycaemia limiting patients' ability to recognise and correct hypoglycaemia, putting them at high risk of even more hypoglycaemia (Heller and Cryer, 1991).

Sulphonylureas are tablets used to treat type 2 diabetes that work by stimulating the pancreas to make more insulin. They do this by closing pores called KATP channels which are found on the surface of many cells and control the rate of firing of cells. In the pancreas, closing them causes cells to fire and release insulin. However, in other tissues such as in the brain, these channels have a protective function and they open up during times of lack of fuel, such as lack of oxygen or sugar, preventing the cells from firing and putting them into a resting mode which reduces their energy requirement(Dunn-Meynell, Rawson and Levin 1998). However, if the brain cells responsible for generating symptoms are put into this resting mode, they may not produce symptoms, which may contribute to hypoglycaemia unawareness.

Study Type

Interventional

Enrollment (Anticipated)

10

Phase

  • Phase 4

Contacts and Locations

This section provides the contact details for those conducting the study, and information on where this study is being conducted.

Study Contact

Study Contact Backup

Study Locations

  • United Kingdom
      • London, United Kingdom, SE5 9RS
        • Recruiting
        • King's College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust
        • Sub-Investigator:
          • David Hopkins, MBBS FRCP

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

Eligibility Criteria

Ages Eligible for Study

18 years to 75 years (Adult, Older Adult)

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Genders Eligible for Study

All

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • Age 18-75
  • Type 1 diabetes (WHO definition) of at least 5 years duration
  • History of impaired awareness of hypoglycaemia (capillary glucose readings < 3.5mmol/l without symptoms on > 3 occasions in the past 3 months (those with intact symptoms will be unlikely to show an improvement and would not really benefit from taking any medication intended just to increase symptoms)

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Pregnancy
  • Severe systemic illness
  • Active malignancy
  • Severe complications of diabetes such as severe visual impairment, severe renal impairment, severe symptomatic autonomic neuropathy
  • Untreated ischemic heart disease, recent stroke
  • Lactose intolerance ( the placebo will contain lactose)
  • Very poor diabetes control (HbA1c > 10%) Liver disease ( increase in ALT / AST > 3x ULN)
  • Chronic Kidney Disease stage 4 or 5 ( eGFR < 30ml/min)
  • Severe untreated thyroid or adrenal insufficiency ( must be treated and on stable doses for at least 6 weeks)

Study Plan

This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.

How is the study designed?

Design Details

  • Primary Purpose: Treatment
  • Allocation: Randomized
  • Interventional Model: Single Group Assignment
  • Masking: Double

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Time Frame
Glucose threshold for development of symptoms and cognitive impairment due to hypoglycaemia
Time Frame: 1 year
1 year

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Time Frame
Improvement in counter regulatory hormone response to hypoglycaemia
Time Frame: 1 year
1 year

Collaborators and Investigators

This is where you will find people and organizations involved with this study.

Sponsor

King's College Hospital NHS Trust

Investigators

  • Principal Investigator: Pratik Choudhary, MBBS MRCP, King's College London

Study record dates

These dates track the progress of study record and summary results submissions to ClinicalTrials.gov. Study records and reported results are reviewed by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) to make sure they meet specific quality control standards before being posted on the public website.

Study Major Dates

Study Start

May 1, 2007

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

May 10, 2007

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

May 10, 2007

First Posted (Estimate)

May 14, 2007

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Estimate)

May 14, 2007

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

May 10, 2007

Last Verified

May 1, 2007

More Information

Terms related to this study

Keywords

Additional Relevant MeSH Terms

Other Study ID Numbers

  • 07/Q0703/18
  • JDRF grant number 5-2007-478

This information was retrieved directly from the website clinicaltrials.gov without any changes. If you have any requests to change, remove or update your study details, please contact register@clinicaltrials.gov. As soon as a change is implemented on clinicaltrials.gov, this will be updated automatically on our website as well.

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