Stem Cell Transplant For Type 1 Diabetes

According to a study that was published recently, most of the patients suffering from Type-1 diabetes and had undergone stem cell transplant eventually became insulin free for a period of 3 years and above. Most of these patients also exhibited great glycemic level control and also an increased level of C-Peptides in their bodies.

Clinical confirmation also confirmed the fact that there was an inverse relation between the beta-cells present and the type 1 diabetes complication. Thus higher the level of the C-peptide, lower the chance of type 1 diabetes complication.

Dr. Burt and his team conducted a research on 23 patients suffering from type-1 diabetes to verify the fact as to whether in post stem transplantation the insulin liberty was a result of enhanced beta-cell functioning by monitoring C-peptide levels. All of the 23 patients who undergone the autologous nonmyeloablative hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) were between 13 to 31 years old.

Out of these 23 patients, 20 of them felt liberated from insulin, 12 experienced such a feeling continuously while the rest 8 experienced it for a short time span. These patients continued to be free from insulin for an average period of about 31 months (i.e. ranging between 14 to 52 months). One of the patients experienced more than four years without any external supply of insulin. The 8 patients who experience liberty from insulin for a short period of time returned back to use insulin in low doses.

In the group of people who were continuously liberated from insulin the average AUC measurement of the peptide levels showed an enormous increase after the transplantation. In the group of patients independent for a limited time span the AUC had increased in them too but became stagnant after 48 months. However 2 of the patients who were researched upon developed symptoms of pneumonia while still in hospital, three patients developed a form endocrine dysfunctioning, while 9 others developed a certain form of sperm deficiency. No deaths have been reported.

Thus Dr.burt and his team of researches concluded that this form of stem cell transplant method was efficient enough to induce significant amount of increase in the levels of the peptide chains that lead to a reduction or even absence of the daily doses of insulin in type-1 diabetes patients. He added that further studies may be required to confirm the role of stem cell transplant in type 1 diabetes treatment.