UK Trials Alternative Weight Loss Treatment to Gastric Band

22 Mar 2017 --- EndoBarrier, an alternative weight loss treatment to the gastric bypass, could soon be a mainstream option for obese people with type 2 diabetes in the UK, according to new data being presented at Diabetes UK’s Professional Conference 2017.

The procedure, involving inserting a 60cm long “sleeve” into the intestines to stop food being absorbed – has been proven to be a helpful therapy for overweight people with Type 2 diabetes by previous studies.

The National Health Service (NHS) service in Birmingham, UK, is currently offering the alternative treatment.

The service was set up in October 2014 for people with Type 2 diabetes and obesity who were having difficulties managing their condition, and of the 45 people referred for treatment, 25 went on to have an EndoBarrier inserted.

Participants had lived with Type 2 diabetes for an average of 12 years and usual treatments options, including diet and Type 2 medications, had failed to control it; 15 were using insulin therapy.

One year later, the researchers found that participants had lost a significant amount of weight (over 15 kilos), had reduced systolic blood pressure and much better-controlled blood glucose levels.

Six participants also no longer needed to use insulin therapy.

The lead clinician, Dr Robert Ryder, said: “As other studies have shown promising results of EndoBarriers being used to treat Type 2 diabetes effectively, we wanted to find out if offering a service on the NHS would help some of the hardest cases.”

“We believe this to be an effective and safe service, and one NHS hospitals across the UK could easily take it up.”

However, Diabetes UK was keen to highlight to NutritionInsight that although, "Bariatric surgery is available for some people with Type 2 diabetes and options like the EndoBarrier are looking promising, the current first-line treatments for Type 2 diabetes are diet and lifestyle changes or medication."

They added, "Two thirds of adults in the UK are overweight or obese. Being overweight is one of the most potent risk factors for developing Type 2 diabetes, and can lead to serious complications for people living with diabetes."

"To tackle the obesity and Type 2 diabetes crisis we need a range of measures, including supporting people to make changes to their diet and the amount of exercise they do. But it’s also important for the food industry and the government to take steps to make the healthy choice easier for all of us."

More needs to be done

Diabetes UK has said more needs to be done to tackle the diabetes crisis in the UK, including investing more in research and improving healthcare and treatment to prevent yet more people developing this potentially life-threatening condition.

“People with diabetes face the risk of life-changing, and life-limiting, complications, unless they are given the very best care and the support they need to manage their condition well,” said Diabetes UK Director of Research, Dr Elizabeth Robertson.

“The results of this trial are promising, but long-term, large-scale studies are still needed to understand the true impact of EndoBarrier use on the management of Type 2 diabetes.”

The Chair of NHS Sandwell and West Birmingham CCG, Prof Nick Harding OBE added: “We are delighted to see this service being offered at Birmingham City Hospital.”

“It’s good to see the promising results of EndoBarriers for obese people with Type 2 diabetes, with participants in the study losing weight and enjoying better health.”

“This is a great example of innovation being used to improve quality of life for our patients.”

by Hannah Gardiner