Diabetes after acute pancreatitis: monitoring blood sugar with continuous glucose sensors
Official title: Diabetes RElated to Acute Pancreatitis and its Mechanisms: Metabolic Outcomes Using Novel CGM Metrics (DREAM-ON)
Funded at Pennsylvania State Univ Hershey Med Ctr · NIH-11326762 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project uses wearable continuous glucose monitors to track blood sugar patterns in adults who have had acute pancreatitis to better understand who develops diabetes.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Pennsylvania State Univ Hershey Med Ctr NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Hershey, United States) |
| Project start | April 1, 2024 |
| Project end | March 31, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $674,478 |
| NIH project number | 5R01DK138060-03 |
| Project ID | NIH-11326762 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Adults (age 21+) who have experienced one or more episodes of acute pancreatitis and are willing to attend follow-up visits, wear a CGM, and provide blood samples.
✕Less likely to help
People without a history of acute pancreatitis, children, or those with long-standing insulin-dependent diabetes are unlikely to benefit directly from this study.
What this research studies
You would be followed after an episode of acute pancreatitis and asked to wear a continuous glucose monitor (CGM) so researchers can see detailed blood sugar patterns over time. The study is part of a larger observational consortium that collects clinical data, blood tests, and measures of beta cell function, insulin resistance, and immune markers. Researchers will combine CGM metrics with lab results and patient histories to look for early signs and mechanisms of diabetes after pancreatitis. Participation may involve clinic visits, blood draws, and active follow-up for months to years.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could help identify who is at higher risk of developing diabetes after pancreatitis earlier and point to ways to prevent or better manage it.
How similar studies have gone: Previous observational studies and meta-analyses show increased diabetes risk after pancreatitis, but applying detailed CGM metrics to define mechanisms is a relatively new approach.
Where this research is happening
-
Pennsylvania State Univ Hershey Med Ctr
Hershey, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Chinchilli, Vernon M — Pennsylvania State Univ Hershey Med Ctr
- Study coordinator: Chinchilli, Vernon M
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
-
Diabetes after acute pancreatitis: understanding and tracking progression
A patient-focused look at how diabetes can develop after an episode of acute pancreatitis, using data from a large, ongoing study and AI insights.
-
Continuation of Type 1 Diabetes in Acute Pancreatitis: UF Health and AdventHealth
A patient-facing overview of a long-term study tracking people with acute pancreatitis to understand how some develop type 1 diabetes later and what factors influence that process.
-
Data Coordinating Center for Type 1 Diabetes in Acute Pancreatitis Consortium
A national effort to learn how pancreatitis-related Type 1 diabetes develops, by tracking patients and coordinating data to improve future care.
-
Diabetes after acute pancreatitis: a patient-focused network study
A program at Indiana University is studying how diabetes can develop after an acute pancreatitis episode, with new findings that could help doctors tailor care for adults who had pancreatitis.
-
Type 1 Diabetes in Acute Pancreatitis in Diabetes Patients at Stanford
A Stanford-led project helps people with brittle type 1 diabetes who also experience pancreatitis by following them in a long-term study to understand how acute pancreatitis affects diabetes.
-
Epidemiology and causes of diabetes after acute pancreatitis
A long-term study following people who have had acute pancreatitis to understand how often diabetes develops, why it happens, and how it progresses.
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.