Professor Melanie Davies

Leave a comment Posted on November 30, 2017November 30, 2017 Diabetes, Patient Talk

Patient’s surprise diagnosis leads to clinical trial – is this a revolution in diabetes treatments?

Diabetes

“Without question, I would have done it all again.” That is the verdict of Alan Hutchinson when discussing his recent experience on a clinical trial.

Alan (66) from Barlestone, Leicestershire, has recently completed the SEESAW trial at the NIHR Leicester Biomedical Research Centre (BRC) – a partnership between Leicester’s Hospitals, the University of Leicester and Loughborough University.

SEESAW is a study comparing appetite hormones and weight change in patients with Type 2 diabetes in two groups: those who are taking a new drug called Empagliflozin and those given a placebo.

Professor Melanie Davies, Director of the NIHR Leicester BRC and Professor of Diabetes at the University of Leicester, said: “We know that type 2 diabetes is very closely associated with weight, with over 90% of newly diagnosed type 2 diabetes patients above their ideal weight. One way we can help patients lose weight is through products that prevent the body reabsorbing glucose through the kidney.

“From previous trials, when patients take this drug, they do not tend to lose as much weight as we would expect and this may be due to how products affects appetite. So this study is designed to help answer that question.”

Alan said: “It all started when my wife booked me in to a Wellman clinic. I had a blood test and they said I had pre-diabetes. I was very surprised as I had no symptoms. I signed up for an education programme called DESMOND at Leicester Diabetes Centre, but while I was there I had another blood test and was told that actually it was now type 2 diabetes.”

He continued: “It was my GP that told me about the SEESAW trial. I agreed to take part because I’m a firm believer that the more you learn about your condition the better you are at handling it. I was put on a calorie-restricted diet and had to keep a food diary [as well as take a pill].

“I lost 22lb over 6 months and still keep the food diary because it helps me maintain my weight. It was a big commitment as I had to come in for full days but the staff were so supportive. It really helped having that independent person believing in you and cheering you on, so that you could stick to the programme.”

Alan won’t know whether he was on the trial drug or placebo until after the study is complete.

For more information on the trial, contact the study team on LDC.trials@uhl-tr.nhs.uk or call 0116 258 6439.

Leave a comment Posted on June 30, 2015 Diabetes

Finding an expert doctor online. Check out this brilliant idea which could help you find the healthcare advice you need!

Getting a second opinion!

As pretty much all of my readers know by now I am more than just a bit gung-ho about how the digital revolution has affected the healthcare universe.

For the better in my view . Pretty much without exception.

So I was delighted to receive this update from University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust (Leicester’s Hospitals). While the update focused on the achievements of the Leicester Diabetes Centre the website they told me a bout has a whole range of uses for patients and healthcare users pretty much across the globe and for many different medical condition!

The idea is brought to us by a web site called Expertscape. The data are compiled by Expertscape using a matrix based on nearly 100,000 articles published since 2005. This helps us find the people who really know their stuff about any medical condition and you can use it to find the healthcare professionals you need to help you. This might be very important if you need a second opinion?

So who might this work in practice? Well this is the Leicester Diabetes Centre great example!

Professor Kamlesh Khunti and Professor Melanie Davies have been named in the top 10 diabetes experts globally on a list published at the American Diabetes Association meeting in Boston.

Professor Khunti said: “This was a real surprise to us but we are absolutely honored to be recognised in this list of some of the top researchers in the world. This is recognition of the work being conducted by our Leicester Diabetes Team from the University of Leicester over the past 15 years.”

Professor Davies said: “This is great news for Leicester and recognises the impact that our research on diabetes is having internationally.”

So what do you think? Would you use this kind of web site to find a second opinion.

Why not share your thoughts and views in the comments section below!

Leave a comment Posted on December 11, 2014December 11, 2014 Cardiovascular disease, Diabetes

Why do young people with Type-2 Diabetes go on to develop heart damage?

Diabetes Awareness

A new study led by a research team at Leicester’s Hospitals hope to reveal, using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), why young people with Type-2 diabetes develop heart damage.

The research team, led by Dr Gerry McCann, Consultant Cardiologist at Leicester’s Hospitals and NIHR Fellow and Professor Melanie Davies, Honorary Consultant at Leicester’s Hospitals, Director of the Diabetes Centre and Professor of Diabetes Medicine at the University of Leicester, are going to use MRI scanning to determine what causes early heart failure in 100 younger adults with diabetes.

The study will randomly allocate patients to different treatment arms. The first group will receive optimal blood sugar lowering treatment and lifestyle advice. The second, a very low calorie diet and the third, moderate intensity exercise training. The research team hope that conducting MRI scans throughout this period will indicate whether early heart damage can be completely reversed.

Dr McCann stated “Patients with diabetes are four times more likely to develop heart failure and other circulation problems. Younger diabetics have the greatest life-time risk of complications and death. It is essential that we develop tools to diagnose heart failure early and effective treatments to prevent this serious life threatening condition progressing. This NIHR award will see Leicester’s cardiovascular and diabetes research units working together to combat heart failure developing in patients with diabetes.”

It is hoped that by using the evidence produced by the MRI scans to compare the different treatment methods, it will lead to better treatments that prevent hospitalisation with heart failure and premature deaths.

Prof. Davies noted “We have seen a dramatic increase in the numbers of people developing Type-2 diabetes at a younger age. Our previous work has shown that younger people already have evidence of heart damage. We want to see if we can intervene and reverse these really worrying changes.

I am delighted that we have been awarded this prestigious award funding to allow us to carry out this important and innovative work in Leicester.”