Conditions: Type 1 Diabetes
Keywords: Type I Diabetes (T1DM) Atorvastatin (Lipitor) Insulin Pancreas Beta Cells
Allocation: RANDOMIZED | Intervention model: PARALLEL
Enrollment: 40
Healthy volunteers: no

Brief summary:
The goal of this application is to evaluate the safety and efficacy of atorvastatin as a potential treatment to preserve beta cell function in children and young adults with newly diagnosed type 1 diabetes (T1DM).

Detailed description:
Type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune disease that is characterized by destruction of the insulin-producing beta cells of the pancreas. T1DM therapy requires insulin administration, either by multiple daily injections or by insulin pump. However, in many patients, blood sugar control remains suboptimal and complications develop that shorten life expectancy and severely impact quality of life. At the time of diagnosis, most patients still have significant residual beta cell function. Previous research has shown that weakening the immune system's attack on the pancreatic beta cells may help to preserve or potentially increase insulin production.

Preliminary studies have shown that members of the statin family of medications, including atorvastatin (Lipitor®), preserve beta cell function in a mouse model of type 1 diabetes. These finding suggest that use of atorvastatin in combination with insulin therapy may delay and potentially reverse the destruction of beta cells in patients who have recently developed type 1 diabetes. Atorvastatin (Lipitor®) is approved for use in adults and children (\>10 years of age) who have elevated blood cholesterol levels. This study will examine whether atorvastatin (Lipitor®) may also help the body preserve insulin production in patients with newly diagnosed (within 8 weeks) type 1 diabetes.

Patients will be randomly assigned to take either atorvastatin (Lipitor®) or placebo. Two out of every 3 patients will receive atorvastatin and 1 out of 3 will get placebo. As this is a double-blinded study, neither the care team nor the patient will know if they are actually taking atorvastatin (Lipitor®). Patients who have given consent to participate in the study and pass the required screening tests will take the assigned treatment every day for 12 months. All patients will begin taking 10 mg once daily, the recommended starting dose. After 4 weeks, the dose will be increased to 20 mg. In addition to a high standard of diabetes care and the medication, patients will have blood tests during 7 visits over an 18 month period.

Arms:
arm 1: Two out of every three patients will receive atorvastatin. arm 2: One out of three subjects will receive a placebo.

Interventions: intervention 1: Atorvastatin intervention 2: Placebo
Intervention descriptions: intervention 1: Pill, initially at 10 mg, then after 4 weeks, 20 mg Once daily for a total of 12 months intervention 2: One out of three subjects will receive a placebo.

Protocol document: