Ursodeoxycholic acid and gut hormone response
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Use of oral ursodeoxycholic acid to predict improvement in diabetes conferred by bariatric (weight-loss) surgery
IRAS ID
198278
Contact name
Steve Bloom
Contact email
Duration of Study in the UK
1 years, 11 months, 30 days
Research summary
Can ursodeoxycholic acid (UDCA) be used to predict which patients will experience diabetes cure following bariatric (weight-loss) surgery?
Although bariatric surgery is the most effective treatment for diabetes, many patients do not experience diabetes cure after surgery. The main aim of this project is to devise a simple pre-surgery test to help patients decide whether to have surgery.
We know that bariatric surgery leads to changes in hormones secreted by the gut after eating, which is partly due to an increased flow of bile acid to the gut after surgery. This project will comprise two linked parts, both of which test gut hormone response to UDCA, a type of bile acid. Part 1 will involve healthy volunteers and Part 2 will involve obese patients with diabetes on the waiting-list for bariatric surgery.
For Part 1, patients will attend for two visits, one week apart. They will arrive fasted, have a cannula inserted into a vein, and then have a milkshake drink. In addition, for one visit they will have UDCA tablets one hour before the milkshake drink. Blood samples will be taken from the cannula at regular time intervals for the next few hours. For part 2, patients will attend for four visits. The first two will take the same format as the visits for part 1 patients, and will occur prior to the scheduled bariatric surgery. Part 2 patients will then have two further short visits at 6 and 12 months post-surgery.
REC name
London - West London & GTAC Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
17/LO/0126
Date of REC Opinion
29 Mar 2017
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion