An endoscopic procedure that makes changes to the lining of the small intestine could reduce the need for insulin for some people with type 2 diabetes, according to a study presented at Digestive Disease Week 2023.
In their study, researchers used a one-hour endoscopic procedure that delivered electrical pulses to the duodenum, a portion of the small intestine lining located right below the stomach.
This is an early-stage study that hasn’t been published yet in a peer-reviewed journal. The research was funded by Endogenex, the company that owns the technology used in the procedure.
In the study, 14 participants underwent the hour-long outpatient procedure.
They then followed a calorie-controlled liquid diet for the next two weeks. Afterward, they were started on the weight-loss drug semaglutide, which was titrated up to a dose of 1 mg per week.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (a semaglutide) in 2021 for chronic weight management in people who are overweight or have obesity and at least one additional condition, such as high blood pressure or type 2 diabetes.
The researchers noted that people taking semaglutide can sometimes stop taking insulin, but this usually occurs in only about 20% of patients.
