GLP-1 receptor expression in CHI
Research type
Research Study
Full title
The physiology of glucagon-like-peptide-1 receptor expression in patients with CHI
IRAS ID
187631
Contact name
Khalid Hussain
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children NHS Foundation Trust
Duration of Study in the UK
2 years, 0 months, 31 days
Research summary
Congenital Hyperinsulinism (CHI) is a condition where the body’s pancreas makes too much of the hormone insulin. This is a very important hormone because it controls the body’s blood glucose (sugar) level. In children with CHI the blood sugar is low (hypoglycaemia) because of too much insulin in the blood. In this study we are trying to understand if the insulin in the blood is being released from the whole pancreas (diffuse) or only from a small region of the pancreas (focal). The new scanning technique (using a protein called Exendin) should allow us to visualise the pancreas in much more detail and tell us if the insulin is being released from the whole pancreas or a small region of the pancreas. This will have very important implications for our medical care for children with CHI. For example if the new scanning technique can show us clearly that insulin is being released from only a small region of the pancreas then we can surgically remove that small region “curing” the child from hypoglycaemia. The rest of the pancreas can be left intact and the child will have a normal quality of life. On the other hand if the new scanning technique shows us that insulin is being released from the whole pancreas then we might need to do a bigger operation to remove the whole pancreas. Removing the whole pancreas creates the risk of life long diabetes mellitus, so it is not a procedure to be taken lightly. Thus it is very important for us to know exactly where insulin is being released from the pancreas.
REC name
West Midlands - Solihull Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
16/WM/0020
Date of REC Opinion
30 Apr 2016
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion