March 19, 2004

TODAY study seeks to identify best treatment for type 2 diabetes in youth

Often referred to as "adult onset" diabetes, type 2 diabetes has become increasingly common in children. The MGH and Joslin Diabetes Center in Boston are among 12 medical centers and affiliates nationwide participating in a first-of-its-kind study focusing on finding the best treatment to combat this growing problem.

The TODAY (Treatment Options for type 2 Diabetes in Adolescents and Youth) study, sponsored by the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, will answer critical questions about the most effective therapies for treatment of type 2 diabetes in children. The TODAY study was launched March 15 and is expected to last for five years. Researchers hope to enroll 750 participants — ages 10 to 17 and diagnosed with type 2 diabetes in the past two years — across the 12 sites nationwide.

"The diabetes epidemic is now affecting all segments of the population, including children. Effective therapy is critical since children will have this devastating disease for a lifetime," says David M. Nathan, MD, the principal investigator and director of the MGH Diabetes Center.

The study's main goal is to determine the relative success of the three treatment methods in controlling patients' blood glucose levels. The study also will evaluate the safety and cost-effectiveness of the treatments; the effects of the treatments on insulin production, insulin resistance, body composition, nutrition, physical activity aerobic fitness, quality of life and psychological outcomes, as well as risk factors for eye, kidney, nerve and heart disease.

For more information about the study, contact Barbara Steiner at (617) 724-5985 or send email to todaystudy@partners.org.