The CardioMET Study v1.0
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Cardiac rest and stress metabolism in patients with type 2 diabetes-The CardioMET Study
IRAS ID
230823
Contact name
Eylem Levelt
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
University of Leicester
Duration of Study in the UK
2 years, 0 months, 1 days
Research summary
The number of people with diabetes is rising. One of the major causes of premature death in diabetes is heart failure (HF). This is when the heart cannot pump blood effectively, and this may be related to abnormalities in energy production in the heart muscle. In healthy people, the heart muscle cells show flexibility and can use both sugar and fat molecules for energy production. Although burning fat provides more energy, this process requires more oxygen than burning sugars. As a result, fat is a less efficient fuel for the heart compared to sugars, especially in situations where the energy and oxygen needs are higher, such as during exercise. We propose that the heart muscle in patients with type 2 diabetes relies heavily on fat for energy provision, and fails to burn more sugar molecules for energy provision during exercise to more efficiently use oxygen. Fat and sugar uptake by the heart can be detected by the difference between the blood sugar and fat levels delivered to the heart and returning from the heart, both at rest and also when the heart is working faster during Dobutamine infusion. Dobutamine is a drug frequently used to mimic exercise, and get the heart running faster during medical tests. To test our hypothesis, we will assess fat and sugar uptake by the heart at rest and when the heart is running faster, in patients with type 2 diabetes undergoing investigations to rule out coronary disease. We will also measure heart function, and blood supply to heart muscle, at rest and during Dobutamine infusion, using MRI scanning. We will perform the same tests in people without diabetes for comparison. It will help us understand diabetic heart disease and which aspects may be targeted with new treatments.
REC name
West Midlands - Solihull Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
17/WM/0405
Date of REC Opinion
21 Dec 2017
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion