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Diabetes

Improving quality of life for patients with diabetes

We conduct diabetes research through two well-established programs: International Diabetes Center (IDC) and the Center for Chronic Care Innovation. These teams work together to strengthen research and improve care for people with diabetes at HealthPartners and beyond.

Our research is focused on translating new findings into patient care. We study topics such as diabetes management and intervention, nutrition, new diabetes technologies and how to improve health care for both adults and children. We also study complications and conditions related to diabetes such as high blood pressure, heart disease, neuropathy and obesity.

Investigators

Key Projects

Artificial pancreas

IDC was chosen as one of 10 sites in the world to study the Medtronic 670G hybrid closed-loop system. The system uses a continuous glucose sensor that communicates wirelessly with an insulin pump. The pump has a built-in formula that determines the amount of insulin needed to keep glucose as normal as possible. We published study results in JAMA in 2016 showing that the system was safe and effective. A few weeks later, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved the first-ever hybrid closed-loop system, often called the first-generation artificial pancreas.

Next-generation artificial pancreas

The National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases awarded IDC and Schneider Children’s Medical Center in Israel a $6.94 million grant to study the next-generation artificial pancreas, which is designed to improve glucose control around meal times. This is still a problem for the first-generation system. The study, which includes children and adults, begins in late 2018.

Ambulatory glucose profile (AGP™)

Clinicians and researchers agree that the use of continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) could be the next transformation in diabetes care. To advance CGM, data metrics and display must be standardized (much like an electrocardiogram [EKG]). We developed and then gathered consensus for the AGP, the first CGM software to analyze and display glucose patterns. It is now recognized as an international standard. Learn more at the AGP website.

Landmark National Institutes of Health studies

We continue to take part in landmark diabetes research trials sponsored by the National Institutes of Health. The Diabetes Control and Complications Trial (DCCT) showed that good glucose control reduces the risk of diabetes complications in people with type 1 diabetes. The ongoing follow-up study, Epidemiology of Diabetes Intervention and Complications (EDIC), is further adding to our knowledge about the course of diabetes and its complications. We were a lead site in the Action to Control Cardiovascular Risk in Diabetes (ACCORD) trial, which studied whether tight glucose control could prevent heart disease in people with type 2 diabetes. The Glycemia Reduction Approaches in Diabetes: A Comparative Effectiveness Study (GRADE) is a long-term study to determine the most effective treatments for type 2 diabetes.

Simulated Diabetes Training for Resident Physicians

We developed a program to teach clinicians how to use insulin and manage diabetes more effectively by practicing on computer-based simulated learning cases, which helps overcome several obstacles to outpatient diabetes care training. We published studies showing that clinician knowledge about diabetes management improves by using the simulated cases. This study was funded by the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.

T1D Exchange Clinical Registry

IDC plays an active role in the type 1 diabetes registry, a project of the Jaeb Center for Health Research. It is the largest type 1 diabetes patient registry in the United States and a rich source of data to help us better understand type 1 diabetes and advance patient care. The project is funded by the Leona M. and Harry B. Helmsley Charitable Trust.

Journey for Control of Diabetes

We compared the impact of using Conversation Maps® in a group setting to other types of patient education about diabetes. Our results were published in the Archives of Internal Medicine.

Reducing Clinical Inertia in Diabetes Care

We developed and implemented a diabetes clinical decision support tool for patients and clinicians to use at clinic visits. Our results showed that it improves glucose and blood pressure control for patients. This study was funded by the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.

Key Publications