Dapagliflozin During Exercise for the PrevenTion of Hypoglycaemia

Summary

There are approximately 400,000 people in the UK who are living with type 1 diabetes (T1DM), of whom 29,000 are children. People with T1DM experience on average 2 episodes of symptomatic hypoglycaemia per week , and exercise (especially aerobic) increases this risk . Strategies to prevent hypoglycaemia during and after exercise include increasing glucose consumption and reducing insulin dose, however overcompensation may result in worsening of blood glucose control. Dysregulated glucagon secretion, manifested as a reduced counter-regulatory response during hypoglycaemia, is a key feature in T1DM, occurring soon after diagnosis. Anecdotal evidence suggests that SGLT-2 (sodium/glucose cotransporter-2) inhibitors (SGLT2i) such as dapagliflozin prevent exercise-induced hypoglycaemia in T1DM. SGLT2is promote glucose excretion without causing hypoglycaemia.Paradoxically, given their mode of action, they increase plasma glucose and stimulate glucagon secretion. Studies in diabetic rats indicate that the physiological counter-regulatory response is suppressed in insulin-treated diabetes, a defect that can be corrected by somatostatin antagonists. The DEPTH trial will test the novel hypothesis that hypoglycaemia results from hypersecretion of somatostatin, and that this defect can be corrected by SGLT2i. As these medications are already in clinical use, our findings may be rapidly translated into practice. Understanding these key processes has the potential to generate novel therapeutic strategies to improve glycaemic control, thereby facilitating a more active lifestyle in people with T1DM.

Timeline

Start

2018-06-02

Primary completion

2021-07-14

Completion

2021-07-14

Drugs

Indications