U of M Researchers Lead Collaboration to Combat Type 2 Diabetes with Gastric Bypass Surgery

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U of M Researchers Lead Collaboration to Combat Type 2 Diabetes with Gastric Bypass Surgery
Dec. 2, 2008
University of Minnesota

U of M Researchers Lead Collaboration to Combat Type 2 Diabetes with Gastric Bypass Surgery

MINNEAPOLIS/ST. PAUL (Dec. 2, 2008) – Researchers at the University of Minnesota have teamed up with researchers at Columbia University and National Taiwan University for a clinical trial examining the effectiveness of Roux-en-Y gastric bypass surgery (RNY) as a treatment for Type 2 diabetes. This is the first randomized clinical study of its kind to compare RNY to traditional medical management as a practical solution for dealing with diabetes.

“Surgery is just a tool—clearly, but this tool has the potential to dramatically improve the treatment of Type 2 diabetes,” said Sayeed Ikramuddin, M.D., F.A.C.S. “If used properly with lifestyle modifications, surgery also greatly reduces other risks for these patients, including the risk of death due to cardiovascular disease and cancer.”

Overweight people with Type 2 diabetes often struggle to lose weight because the insulin they take to control their blood glucose levels promotes weight gain. In previous trials, bariatric surgery has been shown to result in superior clinical outcomes for mildly to moderately obese people with Type 2 diabetes, greatly reducing or often removing the need for many of these patients to take medication to control their glucose levels. Bariatric surgery also promotes weight loss, although people with diabetes generally lose 10 percent less weight after surgery than those who do not have the disease.

Researchers are also taking the opportunity to use this trial to gain further insight into why RNY is an effective treatment for diabetes by conducting biochemical and genetic analyses of study participants’ blood samples. Researchers hope that if they can identify how the surgery works, the knowledge can be used to help develop drugs that would mimic the effect of surgery.

The study will take place at three universities: the University of Minnesota, Columbia University, and National Taiwan University, with overall leadership provided by the University of Minnesota. Each participant must meet certain criteria, including being between 35 and 67 years old, having a body mass index between 30 and 35, and being willing to commit to two years of follow-up care. Study patients will be randomly assigned to either RNY plus careful medical management of their diabetes, or careful medical management alone. About half of the patients at each university will be assigned to each study group. Follow-up care will include weekly clinic visits for six months, and less frequent visits for the rest of the participants remaining two-year enrollment period.

The University of Minnesota site will recruit 30 study participants; 14 have been enrolled so far.

The study’s lead investigators are Sayeed Ikramuddin, M.D., from the University of Minnesota; William B. Inabnet, M.D., from Columbia University; and Lee-Ming Cheung, M.D., from National Taiwan University. This study is funded by Covidien, a leader in manufacturer of health care products.

Media Contacts:
Laura Stroup, Academic Health Center, 612-624-5680
Nick Hanson, Academic Health Center, 612-624-2449

Dedicated to excellence, diversity and service, the University of Minnesota Medical School educates the next generation of physicians, advances patient care, and discovers breakthroughs in biomedical research that enhance health in Minnesota and beyond. Its commitment to transform medical education, Rural Physician Associate Program, and success in training Native American physicians are well-known. More than 1,500 Medical School physicians and scientists provide world-class care and carry out nearly $200 million in research, which informs the treatments and care that patients receive. For more information, go to www.med.umn.edu.

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