1:02 p.m., May 17, 2010----Researchers from the University of Delaware and Christiana Care Health System are seeking individuals with diabetes, age 18 years and older, for a study to test the effectiveness of a medication to improve nerve function.

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The tests are free, and participants will receive up to $200 for taking part in the study.
The goal of the study is to evaluate a new treatment for nerve dysfunction, otherwise known as diabetic neuropathy.

It is estimated that approximately 60 percent of individuals with diabetes have some form of damage to the nervous system, according to Raelene Maser, UD professor of medical technology, who is co-directing the study with Dr. James Lenhard, director of Christiana Care Health System's Diabetes and Metabolic Diseases Center, Diabetes and Metabolic Research Center, and Weight Management Center.

“Nerve damage in individuals with diabetes results in impaired sensation of the lower extremities, which may lead to amputation,” Maser says. “Diabetes can also cause damage to nerves that innervate the heart and blood vessels, leading to an increased risk of death. It is vital to find new therapies to stop the development and progression of nerve dysfunction in order to reduce both morbidity and mortality.”

The research study is being conducted at the Diabetes and Metabolic Research Center in Christiana Care Research Institute, Medical Arts Pavilion 2, Suite 3203, 4735 Ogletown-Stanton Road, in Newark. It is supported by Delaware INBRE grant P20 RR016472-10, sponsored by the National Center for Research Resources, National Institutes of Health.

For more information and/or to sign up for the study, contact Rae at (302) 623-3834 or 1-800-628-2224.

This study is just one example of the cutting-edge, “bench to bedside” research being fostered through the University of Delaware's collaboration in the Delaware Health Sciences Alliance. DHSA is a partnership between UD, Christiana Care Health System, Thomas Jefferson University, and Nemours/A. I. duPont Hospital for Children. The primary goal of DHSA is to promote landmark biomedical research and education throughout Delaware.

Article by Tracey Bryant