New treatment for Queensland’s Diabetes sufferers
Release Date: 11/07/2005
Media Contact: Miranda Hunt 0410 417 790
Queensland Diabetes Centre at the Mater has introduced a new program called DAFNE (Dose Adjustment for Normal Eating) which is an innovative patient-centred educational course designed to help people with Type 1 Diabetes, a chronic condition where the body fails to produce the hormone insulin and glucose builds up in the blood.
More than 20,000 people have Type 1 Diabetes in Queensland and require life long treatment with insulin injections and frequent monitoring of blood glucose levels.
DAFNE teaches people with Type 1 Diabetes the skills needed to control their condition and allow them to have a free “normal” diet, vastly improving their quality of life.
Trialled in Europe and more recently in the UK, the Queensland Diabetes Centre at the Mater is the first institution in Queensland to commence DAFNE.
Dr David McIntyre, Director of the Queensland Diabetes Centre at the Mater, said that many people with diabetes struggle with the everyday juggling act of diet, exercise and insulin, so DAFNE is a revelation to many sufferers.
“Traditional treatment of Type 1 Diabetes has generally involved prescribing fixed doses of insulin, before meals and at bedtime whilst instructing patients in a strict dietary regimen which has often led to resentment by patients, who have trouble complying with these restrictions on normal everyday dietary choices.
“DAFNE shows people with diabetes how to precisely match their insulin doses to their diet and blood glucose levels and we teach them the skills to manage this process.
“We first started the program in March 2005 at the Mater and it has been a huge success with participants experiencing many benefits including better control of high blood glucose levels, reduced risk of low blood glucose levels and more enjoyment in life,” Dr McIntyre said.
The program consists of a five day, full time group seminar course, led by specially trained diabetes educators and dieticians.
For more information about DAFNE, please contact the Queensland Diabetes Centre at the Mater on (07) 3840 2500.
Type 1 Diabetes Facts
Type 1 Diabetes
Also called insulin dependent diabetes or juvenile diabetes. However, this terminology was confusing as many mature people with Type 2 Diabetes need insulin to manage their diabetes.
Type 1 Diabetes can and does occur at any age, it usually affects children and young adults. It is the least common form of diabetes, with just 10-15% of all people with diabetes having Type 1 Diabetes.
What is Type 1 Diabetes?
In Type 1 Diabetes, the pancreas cannot produce insulin because the cells that actually make the insulin have been destroyed by the body’s own immune system. This insulin must be replaced. Therefore people with Type 1 Diabetes must have insulin every day to live.
While insulin can only be injected at this time, other ways of getting it may be possible in the future.
Who is most likely to get Type l Diabetes?
We don’t yet know the exact cause of Type 1 Diabetes but we do know it has a strong family link.
Type 1 Diabetes can only occur when something such as a viral infection triggers the immune system to destroy the insulin-making cells in the pancreas. This is called an autoimmune reaction.
The cause of Type 1 Diabetes has nothing to do with lifestyle, however, a healthy lifestyle is very important in helping to manage the condition.
Can Type 1 Diabetes be prevented or cured?
While a great deal of research is being done, at this stage nothing can be done to prevent or cure Type 1 Diabetes.