C-peptide as additional medication for T1d - today's situation?

[Elena]

Hi! Has anybody any new info re possible therapeutical usage of hrC-peptide (human recombinant C-peptide) in the treatment of t1 diabetes? Is it anywhere near practical use yet? My most recent link dates November 2002.

Amelioration of Sensory Nerve Dysfunction by C-Peptide in Patients With Type 1 Diabetes
http://diabetes.diabetesjournals.org/cgi/content/full/52/2/536
Any newer links? TIA,

Elena
mom to 15-year-old boy, t1d since 1991

[Jeff]

As I recall, there have been many studies looking at c-peptide as an adjunct to insulin therapy. None have shown any significant benefit in humans.

Examples:

C-Peptide Does Not Affect Ocular Blood Flow in Patients With Type 1 Diabetes
http://care.diabetesjournals.org/cgi/content/abstract/29/9/2034
Diabetes Care 29:2034-2038, 2006

Acute effects of C-peptide on gastric emptying in longstanding type 1 diabetes
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=Abstract&list_uids=16477496

However, there was this interesting study in 2005:

Mechanisms of endothelial dysfunction with development of type 1 diabetes mellitus: role of insulin and C-peptide
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=Abstract&list_uids=16187296

[Elena]

Thanks, Jeff. I believed though that the expected benefits were mainly in nerve function improvement region. I was especially interested in knowing more about that, as my son was diagnosed very early in life (10 months), has a history of frequent mild to severe hypoglycaemias (some of them with convulsions, incl. two times - at 7 y.o and at 15 y.o. when he went unconsciuos) and now seems to suffer from a form of polyneuropathy. So my hopes are that this treatment might prove of real help to him - if it ever comes into practice.