Active not recruitingOBSERVATIONAL

StartRight: Getting the Right Classification and Treatment From Diagnosis in Adults With Diabetes

The StartRight study is looking into how newly diagnosed diabetes behaves in adults in the UK. The main aim is to improve how doctors classify diabetes types early on and predict which patients will need insulin treatment quickly. This could lead to more personalised and effective care from the start. Researchers will follow 2,000 adults who have been diagnosed with diabetes recently. They will collect information about their health, take blood and urine samples, and check in with them over three years. The goal is to identify early signs that help determine the right type of diabetes for each person, ultimately leading to better treatment plans.

At a glance

Status

Active not recruiting

Sponsor

Royal Devon and Exeter NHS Foundation Trust

Enrolment target

1,815

Start

01 Aug 2016

Estimated completion

31 Dec 2024

Diabetes Mellitus

What is this study about?

When someone is diagnosed with diabetes, it's really important to know what type it is. This helps doctors decide on the best treatment to keep you healthy. The StartRight study wants to make this process even better. They are trying to find early clues, like certain chemical markers in your blood or urine, that can help doctors figure out the exact type of diabetes you have and if you might need insulin soon after diagnosis.

Currently, it can sometimes take a while to fully understand a person's diabetes type, which means treatment might not be as tailored as it could be from the very beginning. By taking part in this study, you would be helping researchers discover new ways to classify diabetes more accurately and quickly. This could mean that in the future, people with diabetes get the most effective treatment for their specific condition much sooner.

Ultimately, this research aims to develop helpful tools for doctors. These tools would combine your health information with specific test results to give doctors a clearer picture of your diabetes type. This could lead to better decisions about your care and help you manage your diabetes more effectively right from the start.

Key takeaways

Helps doctors better understand diabetes early on.
Aims to predict who needs insulin treatment sooner.
Involves regular check-ups and samples over three years.
Your current diabetes treatment will not change.
Contributes to future improvements in diabetes care.
You can stop participating at any time.

Who may be eligible?

You might be able to take part in this study if you are an adult who has been diagnosed with diabetes within the last year. You would have been aged between 18 and 50 when you were diagnosed. If you were diagnosed after age 50, there's also a specific group for you in this study.

It's important that you understand what the study involves and are happy to give your permission to be part of it. The research team will explain everything clearly to you before you make a decision.

However, you won't be able to join if you developed diabetes during pregnancy (gestational diabetes), or if your diabetes is known to be caused by certain medicines or other specific health conditions like cystic fibrosis, pancreatitis, or certain surgeries or diseases that affect the pancreas.

Quick self-check

Have you been diagnosed with diabetes in the last year?
Were you between 18 and 50 years old when diagnosed (or over 50 for a separate group)?
Do you understand what the study involves and are you willing to take part?
Do you not have diabetes caused by pregnancy, specific medications, or other known medical conditions?

This is a guide only — the research team will confirm whether you can take part.

What does participation involve?

If you decide to join the study, you'll be involved for three years. When you first start, the research team will ask you some questions about your health, measure things like your weight, height, and blood pressure, and take a blood sample (after you've eaten recently). You'll also be asked to collect a urine sample at home after a meal.

For the next two years, the team will get in touch with you by phone, email, or in person to check on your treatment, if you've had low blood sugar (hypoglycemia), and your general health. You'll also be asked to provide another home urine sample each year. The researchers will also get some blood test results, like your HbA1c, from your GP.

At the very end of the study, after three years, you'll have another visit similar to the first one. This will involve updating your health information and providing another blood sample. All of these steps help the researchers understand how diabetes changes over time.

Potential risks and benefits

Taking part in this study won't directly change your current diabetes treatment, as it's observational – meaning doctors will continue to manage your care as usual. The main benefit is that you'll be contributing to important research that could improve how diabetes is diagnosed and treated for everyone in the future. The risks of participation are low, mainly involving the minor discomfort of blood tests. You are free to withdraw from the study at any time without giving a reason, and your decision will not affect your medical care.

Locations (1)

Anita Hill
Exeter, United Kingdom

Common questions

What is the main goal of this study?

The main goal is to find better ways to classify diabetes types earlier and predict who might need insulin treatment sooner after diagnosis.

How long will I be involved in the study?

You will be involved for a total of three years.

Will my diabetes treatment change if I join?

No, your diabetes treatment will continue as normal. This study is about observing, not changing, your care.

What kind of tests will I have?

You'll have a few blood tests, provide urine samples from home, and have some basic health measurements like weight and blood pressure.

Who is running this study?

This study, called StartRight, is being conducted by researchers to help improve diabetes care.