Early heart changes linked to worsening kidney function in type 1 diabetes
Early myocardial remodeling and progressive kidney function decline in type 1 diabetes
This project will look at whether people with type 1 diabetes who are losing kidney function have early changes in heart muscle compared with people with stable kidney function and people without diabetes.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Joslin Diabetes Center NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Boston, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11232350 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
We will invite three groups of people: 100 with type 1 diabetes who have lost kidney function recently (GFR decliners), 100 with type 1 diabetes and stable kidney function, and 100 people without diabetes of similar age. Participants will get advanced cardiac MRI to measure heart muscle cell size and function, along with blood and urine biomarker tests and routine clinical exams. The team will compare imaging and biomarker results across the groups to find early signs of diabetic cardiomyopathy tied to kidney decline. Visits and imaging take place at the Joslin Diabetes Center and focus on adults with early-stage CKD (stage 1–3A).
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal candidates are adults with type 1 diabetes and early chronic kidney disease (CKD stage 1–3A), especially those with documented GFR loss ≥3 ml/min/year over the past 3–6 years, as well as age-matched people without diabetes for the control group.
Not a fit: People with advanced kidney failure (CKD stage 4–5 or on dialysis), those with only type 2 diabetes, or anyone unable to undergo MRI are unlikely to be included or directly benefit from this project.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could help detect heart muscle changes earlier in people with type 1 diabetes who are losing kidney function and guide ways to prevent heart failure.
How similar studies have performed: Early work from this team and others has shown MRI markers can detect subtle heart muscle changes in diabetes, but this focused comparison by recent GFR loss is relatively new.
Where this research is happening
Boston, United States
- Joslin Diabetes Center — Boston, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Doria, Alessandro — Joslin Diabetes Center
- Study coordinator: Doria, Alessandro
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 below.