UT Health Researcher Carolina Solis-Herrera was awarded a first-of-its kind award of $1.2 million to implement early intervention and treatment for pre-diabetes.
The grant was awarded from the Baptist Health Foundation of San Antonio and aims to provide affordable treatment and care with a focus on the Latino population.
Pre-diabetes is a condition where the blood sugar levels are higher than normal, but not high enough to be diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes. Still the condition creates high risk for kidney, eye, neuropathic diseases and cardiovascular death.
“Our way to [try] to help decrease the pandemic of diabetes is tackling it at its root,” Solis-Herrera said. “So, what we are trying to do is bring people with pre-diabetes to normal sugar [levels] so that they don’t develop diabetes.”
More than 37 million people in the United States live with Type 2 diabetes, one and five of those adults don’t know they have it, according to CDC data from 2023. Bexar County’s rate for diabetes is 10.2% — higher than the national rate of 8.2%. The morality rate for diabetes in Bexar is higher than the state and national average with a 32.2% mortality rate.
More than 62% of the population of San Antonio is Latino, and they are at high risk of developing diabetes. Due to the disease being genetic, Latinos run a high risk for diabetes, especially with risk factors such as lifestyle and excess weight.
The new clinic trials aim to create affordable care for those affected by pre-diabetes with a generic therapy that can be obtained from a pharmacy, Solis-Herrera said.
“We’re going to study how to bring these patients from abnormal sugar [levels] or normal sugar [levels],” she added. “If we bring people to normal sugar, in theory, what we’re saying is that they won’t develop diabetes.”
About 50% of people who have pre-diabetes will develop diabetes, and this clinical trial is trying to delay that possibility or stop it completely. Solis-Herrera said once they show it's possible, they will partner with other UT clinics and apply for federal funds to expand on the concept of pre-diabetes.
“Pre-diabetes is just as dangerous and concerning as diabetes,” she said. “We can provide guidance so that we can check for pre-diabetes ... and put you on the right track.”
Gabriella Alcorta is a health reporting intern for Texas Public Radio in collaboration with Texas Community Health News through Texas State University's School of Journalism and Mass Communcation and the university’s Translational Health Research Center.
