Georgia teenager among first to receive 'breakthrough' diabetes treatment

There are two main types of diabetes: Type 1 was previously called juvenile diabetes, while Type 2 is the most common type and was previously called adult-onset diabetes.

Type 1 diabetes is usually diagnosed in children and young adults, where symptoms tend to progress more quickly and become more severe, according to the Mayo Clinic. About 304,000 children and adolescents are affected. The American Diabetes Association (ADA) reports that 2 million Americans have type 1 diabetes. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta estimates that 34 million U.S. adults, or 10.5 percent of the population, have diabetes, and adults with type 1 diabetes account for 5 to 10 percent of all diagnosed cases.

According to the Cleveland Clinic, type 2 diabetes is more common in people over 45 who are overweight or obese and have other predisposing factors such as high blood pressure and high cholesterol.

Both types of diabetes require lifestyle changes, such as monitoring blood sugar levels, eating a healthy diet, and exercising. Some people with diabetes, especially those with more advanced disease, need to take synthetic insulin regularly to keep their blood sugar levels under control.

Zield is expected to help patients Patients like Ella no longer need insulin injections. “It's really amazing to be able to live a normal life,” she said of the benefits of the new drug.

Dr. Steven Leichter, an endocrinologist at Piedmont Columbus Regional who treated Ella and whose clinic participated in Zield's clinical trials, called the drug life-changing and a groundbreaking advance in medical delivery that has the potential to eliminate diabetes altogether in some patients.

“This drug could conceivably prevent type 1 diabetes for life — preliminary data suggests it might — by modifying the autoimmune process and stopping it from progressing,” Leichter said.

Piedmont Columbus Regional is one of only a few facilities in the country to offer Zield therapy, which involves an infusion given over 14 consecutive days followed by continuous monitoring, and was able to provide this treatment to Ella as the health facility is preparing to open a new children's hospital that will be able to offer such infusions in the future.

A new screening strategy developed by the medical center will enable medical professionals to identify eligible candidates for the infusion before they develop diabetes. Beginning July 1, pediatricians and family doctors in Columbus and the surrounding area will be able to screen patients who may be eligible for Zield.

Jim Gavin, an endocrinologist in Atlanta, said ADA President John Leichter called Zield and Leichter's research collaboration very inspiring.

“This is a step forward for precision medicine, and we're equally excited to have it in Columbus, Georgia,” said Gavin, chief medical officer at Healing Our Villages in Atlanta. While more typical of larger, research-oriented medical centers, screening patients in a small community proves it can be replicated on a larger scale, he said.

Patients eligible for treatment are usually relatives of people with type 1 diabetes. Patients must be over 8 years old and have stage 2 type 1 diabetes, which indicates that the patient's body can still produce insulin. Eligible patients must have two or more signs of diabetes and abnormal blood sugar levels.

Leichter said people with a family history of type 1 diabetes may be up to 15 times more likely to develop the disease.

Ella, who has stage 2 type 1 diabetes, became a qualified candidate for the drug when her 14-year-old brother, Alex, was diagnosed with diabetes. I was diagnosed with stage 3 type 1 diabetes in December 2019. At stage 3, the disease carries significant health risks.

Leichter's clinic had participated in clinical trials using Zield in patients with early stage 3 type 1 diabetes, including Alex. After these trials, doctors decided to test Ella for diabetes-related antibodies and thought she might be a candidate for the drug based on ADA screening guidelines. And they found the antibodies. Doctors monitored Ella for nearly two years, during which time her condition began to deteriorate, putting her at risk of developing diabetes.

Ella, a competitive gymnast, said she used to worry about having to have juices or snacks between workouts to regulate her blood sugar, while she watched as Alex had to sit or lie down when his blood sugar dropped.

Alex, who is insulin-dependent, said he was pleased to be able to take part in one of Zield's early clinical trials “to enable my sister to be more active”.

Their parents hope Ella and others like her won't have to take insulin or constantly monitor their diet. Luis Velez recalled how his son Alex would become disoriented, shaky and have trouble speaking when his blood sugar was too high or too low.

“I live with my son's diabetes every day,” said his mother, Lorna, who was happy that his participation in the trial could help others avoid the same diabetes experience he had. “It's nice that their world is stress-free.”

Definition of Diabetes

Diabetes is a disease in which the body does not produce the hormone insulin, which regulates the use of sugar in food for energy. Diabetes can lead to serious, sometimes life-threatening complications, including heart, kidney and eye diseases.

Type 1: A lack of insulin leads to high blood sugar levels. The disease occurs when the body's immune system attacks and destroys the insulin-producing cells in the pancreas, causing the pancreas to produce little or no insulin. Type 1 diabetes is most common in young people, but it can also develop in adults.

° Stage 2: Patients at this stage do not need insulin because the body can still produce it. injection.

° Stage 3: It carries significant health risks, some of which can be life-threatening, and patients at this stage will eventually require insulin injections for the rest of their lives.

Type 2: A condition in which blood sugar levels are high due to a lack of insulin or the body's inability to use insulin efficiently. Type 2 most commonly affects middle-aged and older adults, but it can affect younger people too.

Common Diabetes SymptomsFrequent urination, thirst or hunger, extreme fatigue, blurred vision, and slow healing of cuts and bruises. With type 1, you may lose weight despite eating more, and with type 2, you may experience tingling, pain, or numbness in your hands and feet.

Source: American Diabetes Association and Cleveland Clinic.