Results

Registration of diabetic patients

• incidence of type 1 diabetes in Belgium
• earlier manifestation of type 1 diabetes: increase in the number of children with type 1 diabetes
• seasonal pattern at diagnosis of type 1 diabetes

Slowing down diabetes in newly diagnosed patients

Treatment with an antibody can prevent destruction of insulin-producing beta cells for at least 18 months.

Transplantation of beta cells in patients with long term diabetes

At the moment, more than 100 patients have been transplanted with beta cells. 

Screening for diabetes risk in relatives

The screening of relatives has led to the identification of three risk groups: relatives with a high, moderate and low risk to develop type 1 diabetes.

Prevention in relatives at high risk

Fifty relatives (25 treated and 25 controles) have participated in a Belgian prevention study.

Publications

The BDR provides information to physicians, authorities, patients and their family, journalists and everybody with questions about the BDR projects and outcome, criteria for participation in the studies, on the progress made. The activities of the BDR have already led to more than 100 publications in scientific journals and patient organization magazines.