Effect of Food Composition on Postprandial Insulin Secretion in Neonatal Diabetes
Status:
Unknown status
Trial end date:
2020-08-01
Target enrollment:
Participant gender:
Summary
Neonatal diabetes is diagnosed before 6 months of age and causes high blood glucose levels
due to the pancreas not secreting insulin. Neonatal diabetes can be caused by a change in a
DNA region called the KCNJ11 gene. KCNJ11 encodes a channel in the pancreas that acts as a
switch to turn 'on' and 'off' insulin secretion. A change in KCNJ11 results in a faulty
channel, which keeps insulin secretion 'switched off'. The diabetes can be treated with
tablets called sulphonylureas that switch the pancreatic channel 'on', allowing it to secrete
insulin in response to gut hormones called incretins. Previous research has shown that
patients who switch from insulin to sulphonylureas have better blood glucose control,
including fewer episodes of hypoglycaemia (glucose dropping too low), and also avoid the need
for injections. It is thought that serious side effects from sulphonylureas are uncommon in
KCNJ11 neonatal diabetes. Some patients report low glucose after meals and we think this may
be because they make too much insulin if they eat a meal with protein but low amounts of
carbohydrate. The investigators will test this by giving study participants different meals
and measuring the amount of insulin, glucose and incretin hormone in the blood afterwards.