What Researchers Did
Researchers conducted a prospective phase 1 study in 25 patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus to evaluate the combined therapy of intrapancreatic autologous stem cell infusion and hyperbaric oxygen treatment.
What They Found
They found significant improvements in metabolic variables over 12 months, with fasting glucose decreasing from 205.6 mg/dl to 105.2 mg/dl and HbA1c dropping from 8.8% to 6.0%. Fasting C-peptide also increased from 1.5 ng/ml to 3.3 ng/ml, indicating improved islet function.
What This Means for Canadian Patients
This experimental treatment showed promising results in improving blood sugar control and potentially reducing insulin needs for patients with type 2 diabetes. If validated by further research, this approach could offer a novel therapeutic option for managing the disease.
Canadian Relevance
This study was conducted in Argentina and has no direct Canadian connection.
Study Limitations
As a small, early-phase study, its findings require confirmation in larger, longer-term trials to establish efficacy and safety.