94-05-20 U.Va. needs volunteers for diabetes prevention trial

                                               RELEASE ON RECEIPT

                                      Contact:  Katherine Jackson
      U.VA. NEEDS VOLUNTEERS FOR DIABETES PREVENTION TRIAL
     CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA., May 21--The University of Virginia is
one of 50 medical centers in the country studying insulin to
determine its value in preventing or delaying diabetes before
symptoms appear. The trial is sponsored by the National Institutes
of Health.
     The Children's Medical Center Pediatric Diabetes Clinic will
participate in the first stage of the new study. "The clinic
expects to test 600 to 700 people who have close relatives with
juvenile diabetes," says Dr. Marcia McDuffie, associate professor
of pediatrics.
     Studies have shown that a simple blood test can identify most
people who'll develop diabetes many years before symptoms occur.
It detects antibodies that can bind to islet cells in the pancreas,
known as islet cell antibodies or ICA.  An ICA-positive individual
who has a close relative with juvenile or Type I diabetes has a 50
percent chance of becoming diabetic within five years, notes
McDuffie.
     At U.Va., people between three and 44 years of age who have a
close relative with Type I diabetes are needed for ICA testing.
Individuals with a positive ICA test will be offered further
testing.  The free testing will determine their risk for developing
diabetes, and those with high risk will be eligible to participate
in the trial itself.
     Individuals with a high risk for developing diabetes will be
assigned randomly into one
of two groups:  an insulin treatment group and a control group.
Individuals from both groups will be examined every six
months.
     Testing will be held in U.Va.'s Primary Care Center monthly,
beginning Saturday June 4 from 8 a.m to noon. Testing should take
about 30 minutes.  Volunteers who wish to make appointments should
call the clinic at (804) 924-9129.
     Reporters can call Dr. McDuffie at (804) 924-1707 or Dr.
William Clarke at (804) 924-5897 for further information.
                               ###

                                            May 20, 1994
Charlotte A. Buttner, Program Support Technician, Health Sciences
Center News Office McKim Hall Room 3116, #429 Charlottesville, Va.
22908  804-924-5679, cab2j@virginia.edu
CompuServe 72203,1033


[Submitted by:  (cab2j@dmt03.mcc.virginia.edu)
               20 May 94 10:40:24 EDT]