ADOLESCENT TYPE 1 DIABETES CARDIO-RENAL INTERVENTION TRIAL
The Adolescent type 1 Diabetes cardio-renal Intervention Trial (AdDIT) is a multi-centre, international study, set up by research doctors in the UK, Australia and Canada to explore risk for kidney, eye and cardiovascular disease during puberty and if drugs already used to lower blood pressure (ACE inhibitors) and cholesterol levels (Statins) in adults with diabetes could reduce the development of vascular complications in young people with Type 1 diabetes.
Between 2008 and 2013 the AdDIT investigators screened over 4,000 adolescents with type 1 diabetes in order to recruit 450 “high-risk” subjects into a randomised placebo controlled trial (RCT) with ACE inhibitors and/or statins, and 400 “low-risk” subjects to an Observational study. All subjects were followed for 2-4 years up to November 2016, with assessments of renal, retinal and cardiovascular complications.
Since 2016 the AdDIT follow up study is ongoing with the overall aim to assess long-term prevalence of kidney, retinal and cardiovascular disease and how this is affected by early risk factors during pubertal years.
Overall data from the AdDIT studies are helping to get a better understanding of complications of diabetes in young people diagnosed during childhood and adolescents.
Young people diagnosed with type 1 diabetes during childhood are at risk of long term complications including kidney, heart and circulatory disease which may reduce life expectancy by 10 – 15 years. This risk can be reduced by improving glycaemic control (HbA1c) but this can be difficult to achieve, particularly during adolescence. Long term complications may not appear until well into adulthood but puberty seems to be a “stress point” where signs of risk can start to develop.
In adults with type 1 diabetes, who are at higher risk of developing complications, blood pressure lowering drugs, angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor, (ACE inhibitor) and blood fat (cholesterol) lowering drugs (Statins) are used more and more to prevent complications.
In young people with type 1 diabetes the first direct evidence of vascular complications start to occur between the ages of 18-25 years. Most of the AdDIT cohort will fall into this age range over the next 5 years and we are keen to follow up as many as possible as they go into adult life. Participants will attend a yearly study visit, with a six month phone call in between. The assessments carried out at each visit are very similar to those completed in AdDIT. Recruitment is under way across all countries and sites.
There are many sites currently active in AdDIT follow up! If you are a former AdDIT participant and would still like take part please click on the link below to find the nearest site to you and for the details of the lead study nurse involved at site.
We are keen to hear from you – more the merrier!
