DROPLET

Study Summary

Type 1 diabetes is associated with loss of insulin release, which results in high blood sugars. In children and young adults this loss of insulin is known to happen quickly. After just a couple of years of having type 1 diabetes, most of this age group will make almost no insulin. Research is trying to find new treatments to slow down and even stop this insulin loss. Those developing type 1 diabetes after 30 years of age are rarely included in these trials- despite making up nearly half of all cases of type 1 diabetes. This is because, in this age group, the rate of insulin loss is unknown. Finding out this rate and factors that effect it is an important step towards including older individuals in trials.

We are also testing a new, simpler way of monitoring insulin loss by using a finger prick blood test, making it possible to conduct research from home rather than in hospital or a research clinic. Together, the answers to these questions aim to make it easier to develop new treatments for type 1 diabetes, as these studies could recruit many more people, using a much simpler and cheaper measure of insulin loss.

The study will recruit  adults aged 18 and over within 120 days of a clinical diagnosis of type 1 diabetes. We will compare the loss of insulin production of  participants diagnosed  at >30 years of age with participants diagnosed at 18 to 30 years of age.

All study procedures are carried out at home, with phone or video support from the research team.  Study packs are delivered and collected by courier or tracked mail.