Diabetes study recruiting participants

Inland Northwest residents with type 2 diabetes may be eligible to receive free treatment in a federally funded clinical study taking place in Spokane and other sites around the country.
The study will test different strategies for treating diabetes and lowering risk of cardiovascular disease. Funded by the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute, the study is called Action to Control Cardiovascular Risk in Diabetes, or ACCORD.
Researchers intend to recruit 10,000 participants, ages 40 and older, who have diabetes and also are at risk of cardiovascular disease.
“Information coming out of the study will be used for future generations as treatment guidelines,” said nurse researcher Debbie Weeks of Washington State University, Spokane. “After 2009, when they start quoting the study results, participants can say, ‘I helped.’.”
The study will determine whether lowering a patient’s blood sugar to levels lower than called for in current treatment guidelines will do a better job of lowering the patient’s cardiovascular disease risk.
One group of patients will help determine the effects of lowering blood pressure while also controlling blood sugar levels. Another group of patients will help researchers look at the effects of controlling cholesterol.
Study participants will receive all medication and treatments related to the study free of charge. They also will get regular visits with a diabetes specialist and nutritional counseling. Appointments will be at the Riverpoint campus of WSU-Spokane.
Patients will be assigned randomly to either aggressive or standard blood sugar control. Depending on their blood pressure and cholesterol levels, they will be assigned to either the high blood pressure group or high blood fats part of the study.
John White, professor of pharmacotherapy at WSU-Spokane, and Dr. Carol Wysham of Rockwood Clinic are coordinating Spokane’s participation in the study.
Ninety patients are participating in the study from the Spokane region. Researchers would like to recruit about 60 more patients from the area.
For more information about participating in the study, contact Debbie Weeks at dweeks@wsu.edu or at (509) 358-7733.
World AIDS Day
The Spokane AIDS Network is hosting a World AIDS Day event on Wednesday from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Northwest Museum of Arts & Culture, 2316 W. First Ave., Spokane.
The event features continuous screenings of two educational videos, “State of Denial” and “Bloodlines.”
A community gathering with light refreshments begins at 4:30 p.m. State Sen. Lisa Brown will speak, along with community and religious leaders. The program will be followed by a candlelight vigil and music in the museum’s outdoor amphitheater.
Artwork by people living with HIV/AIDS will be on display Wednesday and throughout December.
The Spokane Regional Health District, Planned Parenthood of the Inland Northwest and members of the Spokane faith community are helping with the event.