Steroid Induced Diabetes in Cancer Patients Exposed to Dexamethasone
Research type
Research Study
Full title
An exploratory study to investigate different screening methods for detecting steroid induced diabetes (SID) in dexamethasone exposed cancer patients
IRAS ID
257946
Contact name
Sarah E Gane
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
King's College London
Duration of Study in the UK
1 years, 3 months, 12 days
Research summary
The aim of the study is to explore different screening methods to detect steroid induced diabetes (SID) in chemotherapy patients taking dexamethasone (a steroid). The study will observe up to 67 participants receiving chemotherapy with high dose dexamethasone for seven days, over three chemotherapy cycles; they will be recruited from Guy's Cancer Centre, London. They will be observed for potential high blood glucose levels using continuous glucose monitoring (a glucose sensor that is routinely used in diabetes care; it is inserted into the subcutaneous tissue and secured on the surface of the skin, it records measurements of glucose every five minutes for up to seven days), this will be used to compare the screening methods. Self-monitoring of blood glucose (SMBG) (finger prick test performed routinely by people with diabetes) and urine dipstick test for glucose (an old-fashioned, easy method for detecting high blood glucose levels), will be taken for two days before dexamethasone administration as baseline readings then continue during dexamethasone treatment and for two days after, a total of seven days. The participants will be asked to record results from SMBG, urine dipstick testing, when they ate and were activity in an app on their phone or on a log sheet. They will be asked to answer a short questionnaire on symptoms each day. Other screening methods are HbA1c, Fructosamine, random blood glucose and 1,5-Anhydroglucitol, these are blood tests taken with the regular chemotherapy blood tests, they are markers/measures of glucose levels. All these data will be compared and analysed for correlation to periods of high glucose levels to identify an appropriate time and screening method to detect SID. Participant’s views on the study will be sought. The results will inform the design and methods for a larger diagnostic accuracy study to detect SID in cancer patients receiving dexamethasone.
REC name
London - Hampstead Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
19/LO/1191
Date of REC Opinion
19 Jul 2019
REC opinion
Favourable Opinion