Can immunotherapy improve sugar levels with an HbA1c of 8.4?

Question

Hi doctor,

My cousin was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes at age nine. He currently uses an automated insulin delivery system, but he's still having trouble maintaining good glucose control, and his recent HbA1c was 8.4%.

His doctor recently mentioned some new options in the pipeline, like immunotherapy and islet cell transplant research. We’ve also been reading a bit about stem cell therapy and beta cell regeneration studies.

To complicate things, he is now showing early signs of diabetic gastroparesis, which is making it harder to manage meal timing and insulin absorption.

We are hoping you can help explain some of the latest treatment advances or alternative therapies that might help in the future.

Thanks

Answer 1

Hi,

Welcome to icliniq.com.

I understand your concern.

Here’s an overview of the current advances in treatment:

Immunotherapy: Ongoing clinical trials are investigating ways to modulate the immune system to preserve or even restore beta-cell function. The goal is to slow or potentially halt disease progression.
Islet cell transplantation: While still limited by donor availability, this treatment offers promise. New research is focused on encapsulating islet cells to protect them from immune attack, which may reduce or eliminate the need for lifelong immunosuppression.
Stem cell therapy: Researchers are working on developing insulin-producing cells from pluripotent stem cells. These could serve as a renewable source for cell replacement therapy.
Beta-cell regeneration: This area of research aims to stimulate the body’s cells to regenerate or reprogram into insulin-producing cells, potentially restoring natural insulin production.
Gastroparesis management: For early diabetic gastroparesis, treatment options under investigation include prokinetic medications and gastric electrical stimulation (gastric pacemakers), both aimed at improving stomach emptying and nutrient absorption, which could help with more consistent glucose control.

These therapies are still in various stages of research and development, but they represent hope for more personalized and effective diabetes care in the future.

I hope this information helps. If you have any further queries, kindly do not hesitate to ask.

Thank you.