DAISY Study Shows Appreciation to Participants at Rapids Game
On Sunday, July 27, DAISY invited participants to attend a Colorado Rapids soccer game. Not only were families able to enjoy snacks, drinks, and amazing soccer for free, a number of DAISY kids got to participate in the opening ceremonies, carrying the flag out to the field and escorting the soccer players. The event was a huge success with nearly 1000 study subjects and their families in attendance. We look forward to hosting another event in 2009 and hope to see you there.
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DAISY and TEDDY Studies Plan for the Future at Staff Retreat
In early May, 2008, DAISY and TEDDY staff members and investigators gathered in Estes Park to review study goals and progress and plan for future directions for the studies. Everyone learned a lot and is really looking forward to what the future holds for DAISY and TEDDY.
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DAISY Study Shows Omega 3 Fats Lower Risk of Type 1 Diabetes
DAISY Investigator Dr. Jill Norris recently completed a study in a subset of DAISY subjects that showed that a diet high in omega-3 fatty acids may reduce the risk of type 1 diabetes. The study was published in JAMA, the Journal of the American Medical Association, and was also featured on CBS 4 News and CTV in Canada.
Watch the CBS 4 News clip here
Read the CTV Report here
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Happy Halloween! TEDDY and DAISY Staff celebrate in creative costumes
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DAISY Study Featured in NIDDK Article
A family participating in DAISY was recently profiled in NIDDK Recent Advances & Emerging Opportunities, a publication of the National Institue of Diabetes & Digestive & Kidney Diseases. Read more about Jodie and Dillon Distel's experiences in DAISY in the PDF article. You must have Adobe Acrobat Reader to acces PDF files. If you do not have Adobe Acrobat Reader, download it for free here.
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New Technology for Collecting DNA
Along with environmental exposures, we know genetics play an important role in the development of type 1 diabetes. DAISY has started working on a new project to try to look more closely at how genetics and gene transmission within a family may impact whether or not a person gets diabetes. One of the goals of DAISY is to be able to have a DNA or genetic sample from all of our study subjects and their family members so that we may be able to test for newer genes in the future and analyze how their transmission within family units influences a person's chance of developing type 1 diabetes.
Normally, DNA samples come from blood, but DAISY now has a way of getting this information using saliva instead. Isn't technology great? By having a person simply spit into a saliva collection container, we are able to do all of the genetic testing we need to do. This is a perfect option for those dads who are afraid of needles, or family members who are simply too busy to come to our clinic. The saliva collection containers can be mailed to the home, and then returned to our clinic when filled. Keep in mind, however, that the saliva test is only for genetic testing and not for autoantibody testing. It is the autoantibody testing that tells us if the immune system may be starting to attack the insulin-making cells of the pancreas, indicating that the diabetes process may be starting to happen. This type of testing is still only possible with blood tests, but perhaps one of these days....
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New! Oral Glucose Tolerance Testing
Beginning in early 2006, DAISY is offering oral glucose tolerance testing to our study subjects who have tested positive for autoantibodies on two or more consecutive DAISY clinic visits. The oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) will take place at The Children's Hospital of Denver.
After fasting overnight, the child will drink a sugary solution (much like soda pop!) that contains a certain amount of glucose. Then, blood will be drawn through an IV at different time intervals. The sugary drink presents the body with the "challenge" of sugar and we are able to see how well the body handles this challenge. It shows us how much insulin is being produced, and how well this insulin maintains a normal blood sugar level. The results are very useful in providing even more insight into the natural history of type 1 diabetes.
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