The Effect of Intravenous Lactate on Brain Lactate Concentrations During Hypoglycemia

Summary

Patients with type 1 diabetes (T1DM) who are unable to perceive symptoms of hypoglycemia, referred to as impaired awareness of hypoglycemia (IAH), are at very high risk of severe hypoglycemia. IAH affects approximately 25% of patients with T1DM. Brain lactate may be involved in the development of IAH. A recent study indicated increased brain lactate utilization during hypoglycemia in T1DM patients with IAH, which did not occur in patients with normal awareness of hypoglycemia (NAH). Conversely, administration of lactate to patients with NAH has been shown to attenuate counterregulatory hormone responses to and symptomatic awareness of hypoglycemia, thus causing a situation that resembles IAH. It has, however, not been demonstrated whether the excess of lactate is actually taken up or metabolized by the brain, and if so whether this occurs under euglycemic or hypoglycemic conditions or both. This project consists of two related studies. The objective of part 1 is to investigate the effect of elevated plasma lactate levels that are sufficient to impair awareness of hypoglycemia on brain lactate concentrations during euglycemia and hypoglycemia in T1DM patients with NAH. The objective of part 2 is to compare the effect of exogenous lactate on brain lactate concentrations between T1DM patients with NAH and T1DM patients with IAH. Furthermore, this study aims to determine the effect of acute hypoglycemia on the inflammatory function and composition of peripheral blood mononuclear cells.

Timeline

Start

2016-11

Primary completion

2017-05

Completion

2017-08

Publications

• Background De Feyter HM, Mason GF, Shulman GI, Rothman DL, Petersen KF. Increased brain lactate concentrations without increased lactate oxidation during hypoglycemia in type 1 diabetic individuals. Diabetes. 2013 Sep;62(9):3075-80. doi: 10.2337/db13-0313. Epub 2013 May 28.
• Background Veneman T, Mitrakou A, Mokan M, Cryer P, Gerich J. Effect of hyperketonemia and hyperlacticacidemia on symptoms, cognitive dysfunction, and counterregulatory hormone responses during hypoglycemia in normal humans. Diabetes. 1994 Nov;43(11):1311-7. doi: 10.2337/diab.43.11.1311.
• Background Maran A, Crepaldi C, Trupiani S, Lucca T, Jori E, Macdonald IA, Tiengo A, Avogaro A, Del Prato S. Brain function rescue effect of lactate following hypoglycaemia is not an adaptation process in both normal and type I diabetic subjects. Diabetologia. 2000 Jun;43(6):733-41. doi: 10.1007/s001250051371.
• Background Wiegers EC, Rooijackers HM, Tack CJ, Heerschap A, de Galan BE, van der Graaf M. Brain Lactate Concentration Falls in Response to Hypoglycemia in Patients With Type 1 Diabetes and Impaired Awareness of Hypoglycemia. Diabetes. 2016 Jun;65(6):1601-5. doi: 10.2337/db16-0068. Epub 2016 Mar 18.
• Wiegers EC, Rooijackers HM, van Asten JJA, Tack CJ, Heerschap A, de Galan BE, van der Graaf M. Elevated brain glutamate levels in type 1 diabetes: correlations with glycaemic control and age of disease onset but not with hypoglycaemia awareness status. Diabetologia. 2019 Jun;62(6):1065-1073. doi: 10.1007/s00125-019-4862-9. Epub 2019 Apr 19.

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