PITTSBURGH, June 15 Recruitment has begun at 14 out of an expected 40 centers for a monumental study that will determine the best way to treat patients who have early coronary artery disease (CAD) and type 2 diabetes. CAD is the number one killer of people with type 2 diabetes.

The University of Pittsburghs Graduate School of Public Health (GSPH) is coordinating the study, which received a grant of more than $52.2 million from the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute, $4.2 million from the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive & Kidney Diseases and $15 million from Glaxo Smith Kline.

Known as the Bypass Angioplasty Revascularization Investigation 2D (BARI 2D), the study is comparing the effectiveness of various therapeutic regimens in reducing the number of deaths from CAD among type 2 diabetics. Investigators aim to determine whether aggressive drug therapy is more effective alone or in combination with surgery in reducing mortality in this population.

"The percentage of Americans who have been diagnosed with diabetes has doubled over the last 20 years, and that trend is expected to continue, partially due to the increase in obesity and sedentary lifestyles, said Katherine Detre, M.D., Dr. P.H., professor of epidemiology and director of the Epidemiology Data Center at the University of Pittsburgh GSPH, and principal investigator of the study. The latest figures show that six to 10 percent of American adults ages 45 and older are diagnosed diabetic, she said. However, it is believed that another six to 10 percent of American adults are diabetic but are unaware of it.

In type 2 diabetes, the body is unable to properly use insulin a hormone needed to metabolize simple sugars. Such insulin resistance is a major risk factor for cardiovascular disease.

"Diabetics develop heart disease earlier than do non-diabetics and have lower survival rates," said David Kelley, M.D., professor of medicine in the division of endocrinology and metabolism
'"/>

Contact: Kathryn Duda
dudak@msx.upmc.edu
412-624-2607
University of Pittsburgh Medical Center
14-Jun-2001