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Stem cell therapy could help reverse type-1 diabetes, according to a new study to be published in the Journal of American Medical Association.

The majority of the patients who had hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) became free from insulin, some for up to three years, and were able to keep blood sugar levels steady.

Patients also had higher levels of C-peptide, which indicates increased function of the cells in the pancreas that produce insulin.

Of the 23 newly-diagnosed patients, 20 experienced time free from insulin – on average 31 months.

It is now hoped that in the future, HSCT could offer hope to slowing the disease progression in recently diagnosed patients.

Commenting on the study, the researchers said: "At the present time, autologous nonmyeloablative HSCT remains the only treatment capable of reversing type 1 DM in humans," adding that more studies were needed.

Type-1 diabetes develops if the body cannot produce any insulin – a substance needed to regulate blood sugar levels.

Failure to control blood sugar levels could have a long-term impact on brain function in people with type-2 diabetes, according to new research.

Severe hypoglycaemic episodes – when blood sugar drops dangerously low – could lead to poorer memory and diminished brain power, scientists at the University of Edinburgh have discovered.

The study of 1,066 diabetes sufferers found that the 113 who had previously experienced severe hypoglycaemic episodes performed poorly in tests of general cognitive functions and vocabulary.

Dr Iain Frame, director of research at Diabetes UK, said this study reinforces previous evidence that poorly controlled diabetes affects brain function.

"We already know that type 2 diabetes increases the risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease, which is a type of dementia, and this research adds another piece to a very complex jigsaw puzzle," he added.

People with diabetes are also twice as likely to suffer from depression as the general population, which is also likely to result in poorer blood-glucose management.

The Insurance Helpline specialises in obtaining cover for people living with diabetes.

Around 85 per cent of adults with diabetes in the UK are missing out on specialist psychological support, according to a leading charity.

The Mind the Gap report, by Diabetes UK, found that only 25 per cent of diabetes services could name and supply contact details for specific services that provide specialist psychological care for diabetes patients.

Professionals in these services often lack the specific knowledge about the condition, despite there being evidence of elevated psychological problems in patients with diabetes.

Depression, which is doubled in diabetes sufferers, and other psychological problems can lead to poor patient self-care.

Bridget Turner, head of healthcare and policy at Diabetes UK, said: "Living with diabetes can be challenging and the emotional stress of having to deal with this complex condition on a daily basis means specialist psychological services are crucial."

More than 2.5 million people in the UK suffer from diabetes and a further half a million have the disease and do not know.

Diabetics are being warned by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) that their insulin therapy could be compromised by a faulty pump.

The ambulatory insulin infusion pump, Accu-Chek Spirit, has a design fault that can cause the up and down buttons to fail.

Patients are being advised to check the serial number on the back of their ambulatory pump and anyone with a number up to and including 10006093 should contact Roche Diagnostics, which manufactures the pumps.

Clive Bray, MHRA director of device technology and safety, said: "The MHRA has issued a Medical Device Alert today to healthcare professionals including pharmacists and specialist diabetic health workers to warn them of this problem."

Anyone experiencing a fault can also report it one the MHRA website.

Patients with type-1 diabetes typically inject themselves two or four times a day with insulin to achieve normal blood sugar levels.

The Insurance Helpline specialises in obtaining cover for people living with diabetes.

Diabetes and heart disease may be linked to a low weight at birth, new research suggests.

The study, which followed over 5,000 babies from birth to adulthood, found that those with a low birth weight had higher levels of white blood cells in adulthood.

White blood cells are an indicator of inflammation, which is a normal response of the immune system.

However, if inflammation persists over a period of time, it can promote the development of diabetes and heart disease.

Lead researcher Dr Dexter Canoy, from Manchester University’s school of community-based medicine, said: "Our findings suggest that the link between poorer growth early in life and these adult chronic diseases may involve inflammation as a common underlying factor."

He added that ensuring appropriate growth after birth may result in long-term health benefits for low-weight babies.

Babies weighing less than 5.5 pounds (2.5 kg) are considered low birth weight, which accounts for about 4.6 per cent of live births in the UK.

The Insurance Helpline specialises in obtaining cover for people living with diabetes.

Health ‘MOTs’ that could save hundreds of lives a year will be offered to all over 40s in the UK from this week.

The national programme of NHS health checks should reduce heart attacks, strokes and diabetes as part of a drive towards a more preventative health service.

Everyone aged 40 to 74 will be invited for the check-up, which was announced by the health secretary Alan Johnson over the weekend.

Speaking about the programme, Mr Johnson said: "The national programme of Health Checks could save 650 lives a year and reduce the health inequalities that blight the lives of the country’s most deprived families."

The checks will include asking general questions about the patient’s lifestyle, taking height and weight measurements and a blood sample.

Doctors will then make recommendations to the patient on what can be done to reduce their risk of a number of diseases.

Mostly the checks will be run from GP surgeries, pharmacies and walk-in health centres but could also be offered in supermarkets.

The Insurance Helpline specialises in obtaining cover for people living with medical conditions.

diabetes/” target=”_self”>Diabetes life insurance could soon become easier to obtain if a new recommended three-point plan to help patients improve self-care is implemented.

Financial worries, a high-risk lifestyle and eating out at restaurants are just some of the barriers preventing patients with type-2 diabetes from controlling their condition, according to a study published in the Journal of Nursing and Healthcare of Chronic Illness.

Co-author Professor Vivien Coates, from the Institute of Nursing Research at the University of Ulster, said that barriers stem from limitations within the healthcare team, ineffective communication between providers and patients, and the patient’s lack of empowerment, motivation and involvement in their treatment.

"Nurses need to address a number of key questions like what is important to the patient in terms of lifestyle changes and status quo and what patients would expect from the healthcare team," she added.

If implemented, the three-point plan would involve providing patients with adequate information about their condition, motivating them to better manage their diabetes and approaching patient care in a more holistic way.

Type-2 diabetes is more commonly seen in people over 40 and in most cases is linked to being overweight.

The Insurance Helpline specialises in obtaining cover for people living with diabetes.

Taking afternoon naps could increase the risk of developing type II diabetes, according to new research.

A recent study conducted by Diabetes UK monitored the napping habits of 16,480 people and found that the occurrence of the condition increased with sleeping frequency.

The findings revealed that those who napped had a 26 per cent greater risk of developing Type II diabetes compared to those who did not.

It is thought that waking up from a short sleep activates hormones and mechanisms in the body which can potentially stop insulin working effectively.

"This could also predispose people to Type II diabetes which can develop when the insulin the body makes does not work properly," the authors write.

Director of research at Diabetes UK, Dr Iain Frame, added: "This new research could be another step towards explaining the possible link between disturbed sleep patterns and type II diabetes."

Medical experts recently claimed that performing obesity surgery could help to resolve type II diabetes.

The Insurance Helpline specialises in obtaining cover for people living with diabetes

Performing obesity surgery could help to resolve type II diabetes, medical experts have claimed.

Currently, some 90 per cent of all patients with type II diabetes are overweight or obese.

However, recent research conducted at the University of Minnesota suggests that obesity surgery may be beneficial to the condition.

Researchers examined 621 studies published between 1990 and April 2006, all of which monitored the impact of such operations on diabetes.

It indicated that 78.1 per cent of people with diabetes benefitted from a complete resolution of their condition.

"This systematic review and meta-analysis demonstrate that bariatric surgery has a powerful treatment effect in morbidly obese persons with type II diabetes," the researchers wrote.

Consequently, the study authors noted that "millions of people" could benefit from the findings.

There are currently over 2.5 million people with diabetes in the UK, according to the charity Diabetes UK.

The Insurance Helpline specialises in obtaining cover for people living with diabetes

The NHS should provide more help for the growing number of children with obesity-related diabetes, experts have claimed.

A recent study of 73 adolescents with type II diabetes, indicated that they are still gaining weight despite being treated for the condition, reports the Guardian.

Furthermore, the research revealed that some of the children had begun to show signs of complications, which can potentially lead to blindness, foot amputations and a shortened lifespan.

Dr Julian Shield, consultant paediatrician at the Bristol Royal Hospital for Children, said the situation is not been adequately addressed.

"We are just treating the side-effects. To lose really large amounts of weight, which you have to do to give yourself a chance to resolve diabetes, is difficult," she said.

"Adolescents do struggle. Some of them manage to lose 35 or 40 kilos. But others find it very, very difficult."

Diabetes UK recently launched a new scheme aimed to help children with type I diabetes under the age of five.

The Insurance Helpline specialises in obtaining cover for people living with diabetes