Stiff sugary arteries
Despite decades of intensive research on diabetes complications, the fundamental mechanisms are not yet fully known. Neither it is possible to prevent or treat the damage of the blood vessels that affects a majority of all diabetics.
The risk of dying from cardiovascular disease is two to three times higher than it is for non-diabetics. The small blood vessels are also damaged. After only ten years with diabetes, 70 percent will have some form of kidney damage that may progress to kidney failure. As many suffer from eye complications, some of whom will develop severe visual impairment and two percent become blind.
- The blood vessels and other organs of the body are sugar coated and become stiff. It is reminiscent of a premature biological aging, says Peter Nilsson.
Valeriya Lyssenko talks about PROLONG
Half of the veterans
Perhaps nature itself can answer the question why some patients are protected. This is what the PROLONG study will investigate.
Today there are approximately 12 000 people in Sweden who have had diabetes for more than 30 years, of them 1 600 have made it past 50 years.
- About half of these diabetic veterans do not have major complications. Two thirds of those who have had diabetes for more than 50 years escaped complications. Clearly they are different and we want to find out what it is that protects them, says Valeriya Lyssenko.
The greatest risk has passed after 30 years
The PROLONG study is starting now in Skåne with a pilot study of patients with diabetes duration of more than 30 years. At a later stage patients will be recruited from all hospitals and health care centers in Sweden. They will be compared with diabetics who have already developed severe complications despite having had diabetes for less than 15 years.
The 30 years limit is chosen since a person who has had diabetes for such a long time without developing complications, is unlikely to do so later in life.
Peter Nilsson talks about PROLONG
Copying nature’s protective mechanisms
Participants in the PROLONG study will answer questions about their lifestyle and about diseases they, or their closest relatives, might have. Blood samples, including genetic tests, will be analyzed, and close relatives to the participants will also be invited to take part in the PROLONG study.
- If we can identify factors protecting these veterans from devastating complications, then it might be possible to develop drugs that can do the same thing, says Valeriya Lyssenko.
- I have been dreaming about performing a study like this for a long time, adds Peter Nilsson.
Prolong stands for: PROtective genes in diabetes and LONGevity
Major diabetic complications include kidney disease (nephropathy), eye damage (retinopathy), heart attacks and stroke.
Would you like to join the Prolong study?
If you have had diabetes for more than 30 years without serious complications and you want to join Prolong – please contact:
Ylva Wessman, research nurse at the Endocrinology Clinic, Skåne University Hospital in Malmö.
- Ylva [dot] Wessman [at] skane [dot] se (Ylva[dot]Wessman[at]skane[dot]se)
Telephone: +46 40 33 32 16
For more information:
Valeriya Lyssenko: +46 40 39 12 14, +46 730 42 73 52
- Valeriya [dot] Lyssenko [at] med [dot] lu [dot] se (Valeriya[dot]Lyssenko[at]med[dot]lu[dot]se)
Peter Nilsson: +46 40 33 24 15, +46 704 50 34 56
- Peter [dot] Nilsson [at] med [dot] lu [dot] se (Peter[dot]Nilsson[at]med[dot]lu[dot]se)