Data collection excellence lands Diabetes clinic national award
Vanderbilt's Epidemiology of Diabetes Intervention and Complications (EDIC) clinic was recently honored with the Julio Santiago Award at the February meeting of the EDIC study group.
The annual award is given in memory of Dr. Santiago to the clinic with exemplary performance in data collection for the EDIC study, a follow-up of the Diabetes Control and Complications Trial (DCCT).
Dr. Santiago was an internationally renowned diabetes researcher who died in 1996. As a member of the Washington University DCCT/EDIC study group, he made significant contributions to the study's design and protocol.
The DCCT, conducted between 1982-1993, showed that maintaining blood glucose levels within normal ranges in individuals with type 1 diabetes can prevent complications from the disease. The EDIC study follows the DCCT patients for ten additional years to determine the long-term development and progression of complications of diabetes.
Vanderbilt is one of 28 medical centers participating in the EDIC study. The Vanderbilt EDIC clinic is currently following 63 patients, who have all participated since the DCCT study began in 1982.
Dr. Rodney A. Lorenz, professor of Pediatrics, is the principle investigator of the study. Dr. Michael E. May, assistant professor of Medicine, will assume this role in April. Janie Lipps, R.N., has been the trial coordinator at Vanderbilt since the project began. Libby Survant, serves as the study research assistant.