Latest studies have revealed that the risk of kidney failure can be decreased by half if intensive therapy is provided from the beginning. Since Type I diabetes is dangerous, therapy is important since it prevents any kind of long term hazardous implications. As per the research, intensive therapy is more effective in preserving kidneys when compared to conventional methods. Intensive therapy is more driven towards controlling blood sugar near to near normal. The therapy has to be administered for a period of six and a half years on an average in order to reduce long term implications of kidney damage. The researchers have proved that timely therapy doubles the life of damaged kidneys. The research was carried out by researchers from Epidemiology of Diabetes Interventions and Complications in Diabetes Control and Complications Trial (DCCT). The researchers found that when compared to conventional methods, the difference produced by therapy was small but significant.

Studies were carried out by DCCT when participants entered the facility after six years of diagnosis of the disease. At this stage, the dangers that diabetes poses are not so high as to cause damage to the internal organs. The study group was divided into two groups. One group was treated with intensive therapy so as to achieve near normal control of glucose. The other group was administered the standard treatment procedure.

The study was followed up for 22 years. It was found that participants of the study who belonged to the first group were more tolerant to kidney failure. 24 participants were affected with kidney problems and 8 among them had total kidney failure. On the other hand, among those who were administered conventional therapy, 46 were diagnosed with kidney diseases and 16 among them developed kidney failure.

In addition to providing benefits for the kidneys, it was noticed that intensive therapy also offered benefits with regard to eye damage and nerve damage as well. the problems in kidneys was diagnosed by testing proteins in the urine, which were found to be reduced. This is an indicator of the onset of kidney damage. DCCT wrapped up in 1993 and ever since, all the participants have been in better health by taking stringent blood glucose control measures.

Ian H. de Boer, lead author of the study said that it is quite a challenging task to bring blood sugar under control in people with Type I diabetes when it is diagnosed. However, by following intensive therapy, positive results can be obtained. It is important to start therapy early.