Clipping of news on Brazilian Culture, Law and Citizenship
22/10/2012
This article was translated by an automatic translation system, and was therefore not reviewed by people.
Group who underwent the first tests managed to get rid or reduce insulin shots
Heirs of a technique devised by Julio Cesar Voltarelli rheumatologist, who died in March this year, are getting favorable responses to the control of type 1 diabetes, a disease considered by the juvenile attack, especially the younger population. A group of volunteers who underwent the first tests managed to get rid of insulin shots or at least reduce the doses of the hormone.
The treatment is based on the application of stem cells. Studies coordinated by Voltarelli, started six years ago, gained followers in Brazil - in Poland and China - and continuing with developments developed by doctors and the Blood Center of the University Hospital of Ribeirão Preto, in the interior, along with experts U.S., France and England.
The current coordinator of the work, the rheumatologist Carolina Maria de Oliveira Rodrigues explained that both diabetes type 1 and 2 are characterized by causing an increase in blood glucose level. Type 1 is less common, but also has significant prevalence. Who suffers evil have gradual failure of the pancreas, due to destruction of the cells that produce insulin, a hormone essential to control sugar level.
The traditional treatment is regular application of insulin, "which affects the quality of life of these people and also increases the risk of in future develop kidney problems, nerve and sight," the doctor noted. According to it, when the patient receives the diagnosis usually still have preserved between 20% and 30% of the pancreas. It is this portion of the gland life that researchers began searching the control of evil, in 2004, under the coordination of Voltarelli, with the use of stem cells.
In the first stage of the research, which closed in 2010, tests were carried out on 25 volunteers. The treatments consisted of the collection and freezing of hematopoietic stem cells - percussoras of blood cells - bone marrow. Then these volunteers underwent aggressive chemotherapy sessions to destroy the remaining bone and reset the immune system. Subsequently, they were frozen stem cells to reconstitute the bone marrow and blood cells.
"The result was very good," said the doctor Maria Carolina, reporting that the level conquered surprised the team. Of the 25 people who underwent treatment, 21 gave favorable responses. Three of them were free of insulin shots 18 and again requires the hormone after a period of six months to five years, but at lower doses than before transplantation.
- It can not be said to be cured, but with controlled disease.
In the second phase, currently underway, researchers try to achieve better efficiency through a stronger chemotherapy. What is sought is that the patient out, totally, of dependence on insulin. So far, only two volunteers came forward to submit to testing.
These studies are being done on Cell Therapy Center (CTC), one of the centers of Research, Innovation and Diffusion (Cepids) Foundation for Research Support of the State of São Paulo (FAPESP), the Faculty of Medicine of Ribeirão Preto (FMRP / USP), in interaction with researchers from the United States, France and England.
According to the coordinator of this work, Brazil pioneered experiments and, after the disclosure of scientific articles, the same technique of stem cell transplantation was adopted in tests in Poland and China.
In parallel search, which began in 2008, with the participation of eight diabetic patients, were made applications of mesenchymal cells - which are present throughout the body and form the connective tissue - taken from a relative of the patient. In this case, the intent was to attack by inflammation of the pancreatic tissue regeneration. However, as the number of cells found insufficient for those applications, some of which is multiplied in the laboratory.
In these treatments, however, half of the patients - all children - did not get the expected result, and the other - all adults - only two were able to reduce the need for insulin. The researchers intend to renew the tests with increasing collection of mesenchymal cells. Those interested can send e-mail to the address tmoautoimune@gmail.com. You must be from 18 years and have been diagnosed with the disease for at least five years.
Source: R7 News
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This article was translated by an automatic translation system, and was therefore not reviewed by people.