The VIBE study
Research type
Research Study
Full title
The vascular actions of glucagon-like peptide-1 analogues and its mediators in people with type 2 diabetes and diabetic retinopathy
IRAS ID
230324
Contact name
Kim Gooding
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
University of Exeter
Duration of Study in the UK
13 years, 0 months, 0 days
Research summary
Medications that mimic the natural gut hormone, glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) i.e. GLP-1 analogues, are used to aid sugar control in people with diabetes. Research suggests that these medications may also help improve blood vessel function. However, this research has focussed on people with well controlled diabetes with little or no diabetes-related small blood vessel complications (eg diabetic retinopathy). As individuals with type 2 diabetes (T2DM) and its related small blood vessel complications tend to have widespread health complications, eg heart disease, it is crucial to identity therapies that could protect blood vessels. This project will examine whether GLP-1 analogues have beneficial effects on blood vessel function in people with T2DM and diabetic retinopathy, and thus help us decide whether they may be a viable cardiovascular related treatment in this higher risk population.
We will recruit participants without diabetes; participants with T2DM and no complications and participants with T2DM and advanced retinopathy. We will assess the effects of GLP-1 mimetics (analogues) on (a) skin blood flow by injecting tiny amounts of the drugs into the skin and (b) in isolated vessels that we will obtain from small donated fat biopsies. Isolated vessels will be used to examine the mechanisms by which the GLP-1 analogues may act and whether any of these are blunted in vessels from participants with advanced retinopathy. We will measure markers of damage to the complex coating of the blood vessel wall (glycocalyx) in the blood from participants and from video images of the small blood vessels under the tongue to see if these vary with severity of retinopathy. Finally, we will explore whether the small blood vessel response to GLP-1 mimetics is associated with blood vessel function and structure in the back of the eye (retina), the area responsible for our sight.
REC name
South West - Cornwall & Plymouth Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
17/SW/0180
Date of REC Opinion
18 Sep 2017
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion