Digestive Disease Week 2022 – The Duodenum A New Therapeutic Horizon for Metabolic Disease
In my continuing coverage of DDW 2022 I attended a lecture on May 24, 2022 by Gregory G. Ginsberg, MD and Shelby Sullivan, MD, FASGE.
Presentation Overview From Catalog
The prevalence and overlap of metabolic diseases including T2D and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease highlights common pathophysiology. Increased dietary sugar and fat consumption contributes to duodenal dysfunction which may potentiate disease progression.
This session will discuss the duodenal mucosa as a metabolic regulator and investigational therapy that targets the mucosa for metabolic disease.
My summary of this lecture as well as comments on some of the pertinent information presented is as follows. Note: This will lead into my Type 2 Diabetes article that I will release in mid 2023 regarding the use of the Dexcom G6 coupled with the Omnipod 5 pump while using a low carb diet to limit the need to bolus.
The initial section of the small intestine, or the duodenum, is crucial for food processing and nutrient absorption. Targeting the duodenal mucosa as a therapeutic frontier for the metabolic illness type 2 diabetes has recently attracted growing interest.
The duodenum controls insulin sensitivity and glucose metabolism, according to research. The duodenal mucosa may be extremely important in the emergence of type 2 diabetes and insulin resistance, according to certain theories.
By using drugs that alter the secretion of certain hormones, such as glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) and glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide (GIP), the duodenal mucosa in type 2 diabetes may be targeted therapeutically. These hormones are crucial for controlling insulin secretion and glucose metabolism because they are released by the intestinal mucosa in response to dietary intake.
Liraglutide and semaglutide are examples of GLP-1 receptor agonists that are already used to treat type 2 diabetes. These drugs work by focusing on the duodenal mucosa’s GLP-1 receptors. The duodenal mucosa may also benefit from the use of other drugs, including sodium-glucose cotransporter-2 (SGLT2) and dipeptidyl peptidase-4 (DPP-4) inhibitors.
Overall, targeting the duodenal mucosa holds promise as a therapeutic horizon for type 2 diabetes, and further study in this area may result in the creation of novel therapies for this common disease.
Richard Berk is a staff reporter and executive producer for Utah Channel 3. Richard’s focus is on medical technology and new techniques/procedures with a focus on Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes. Richard is a member of several medical associations and also gives back to the medical community by sponsoring medical lectures. Richard is also a regular contributor to TechTalk.