PETRONELA-DN Study
Research type
Research Study
Full title
PET-mRi study Of NEuronaL Activation in painful Diabetic Neuropathy (PETRONELA-DN)
IRAS ID
299486
Contact name
Dinesh Selvarajah
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
Duration of Study in the UK
2 years, 0 months, 1 days
Research summary
One in 16 people in the UK has diabetes and half of these develop nerve damage. This can cause severe pain in the feet and legs. Unfortunately, current medications provide only partial benefit in some, with many enduring inadequate pain relief. Part of the problem is that current treatments at best achieve partial pain relief in only one in three patients. Hence, a new targets need to be identified in order to develop more effective drugs for painful diabetic nerve damage.
The studies we have conducted to date have examined brain activation using Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) - (MRI brain scan). In this study we will perform combined Positron Emmision Tomoraphy (PET) and MRI to provide a more direct readout of brain/spinal cord activity in response to pain. This will provide us with new insights into where and how nerve damage leads to chronic pain in diabetes. A better understanding of this process will lead to new therapeutic targets for patients with painful diabetic nerve damage.
Methods: We will conduct an observation cohort PET-MRI study in 40 participants with diabetes (No-DPN, n=10; Painful-DPN responders, n=15; Painful-DPN non-responders, n=15).REC name
North of Scotland Research Ethics Committee 2
REC reference
21/NS/0103
Date of REC Opinion
13 Aug 2021
REC opinion
Favourable Opinion