Call for an instant quote 0345 90 80 161
Open Mon to Fri 09:00 - 17:30 | Sat 09:00 - 16:00 (GMT)
14 February 2017 08:05
There are 3.8 million people in the UK with diabetes
A new "age defying" hormone could offer a breakthrough in preventing kidney and heart disease in people who suffer from diabetes.
A reduction in the levels of the hormone Klotho allows scientists to identify early signs of kidney disease in diabetic patients, according to new research conducted at King's College, London.
Lead researcher Dr Giuseppe Maltese, said: "For the first time, Klotho has been linked to kidney disease in Type 1 diabetes patients and this finding represents an exciting step towards developing new markers for disease and potentially new treatments."
A breakthrough study
Klotho protects arteries from ageing-related changes, such as the thickening of blood vessel walls - a condition that is linked to heart disease.
The urine samples of 78 people with Type 1 diabetes were analysed as part of the study.
Among these samples were 33 patients who were starting to show signs of diabetic kidney disease.
Scientists found those patients who did not suffer from kidney disease had healthy levels of circulating Klotho - the same as a typical healthy adult.
Meanwhile, patients with lower levels of the hormone were those suffering from microalbuminuria, or diabetic kidney disease.
According to figures from Public Health England, there are around 3.8 million people in the UK with diabetes, which is roughly 9% of the population.
Anyone suffering from Type 1 or Type 2 diabetes can take out medical travel insurance to cover the pre-existing condition.
Co-author Dr Richard Siow, co-ordinator of ageing research at King's College, said: "Our research will help scientists to better understand the mechanisms by which this hormone benefits healthy ageing, as well as how deficits in Klotho lead to age-related diseases."
The researchers now plan to extend the study to other "high risk" groups, including those who are diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes.
22 September 2018
The NHS should switch to electric vehicles across its organisations, health officials have advised.
[more...]
21 September 2018
UK holidaymakers could be missing out on more than 60 direct flight routes thanks to Air Passenger Duty (APD), a report suggests.
20 September 2018
Living in areas with high levels of air pollution could be linked to an increased risk of dementia, new research suggests.
19 September 2018
Multiple sclerosis (MS) patients are shelling out tens of thousands of pounds for care - and many are unable to cover the costs, a leading charity has warned.
18 September 2018
As much as £6 of every £10 spent on domestic flights in the UK goes on Air Passenger Duty (APD), new research suggests.
15 September 2018
UK driving licences might become invalid in certain European countries if the UK crashes out of the EU with no deal, the Government has warned.
14 September 2018
Online crowdfunding for cancer treatments is indirectly advancing the rise of alternative "quack" therapies, experts have warned.
13 September 2018
A "wee-stick" like those used in pregnancy testing could be employed to prevent thousands of deaths from ovarian cancer.
11 September 2018
As many as 1.3 million passengers endured severe flight delays in the last year, a new study reveals.
08 September 2018
British Airways customers are cancelling their credit cards after the carrier was hit by a 15-day data breach that compromised the details of around 380,000 people.
06 September 2018
Plastic trays at security desks harbour the highest numbers of viruses at airports, new research has discovered.
05 September 2018
Adults are being urged to take advantage of a new online tool to find out if they are at risk of having a heart attack or stroke.