Marina Litvin, MD

Research Interests

Complications

Prevention and Control

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Category(ies) of Research

Clinical

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Descriptor of Research

My primary research interest is in Cystic Fibrosis Related Diabetes (CFRD). Through the support of the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation EnVision Grant, we have created a combined, multidisciplinary, Pulmonary and Endocrinology Clinic to treat patients with Cystic Fibrosis (CF) and Cystic Fibrosis related diabetes (CFRD). My goal is to improve clinical care and health outcomes (glycemic control has been shown to improve weight, lung function, pulmonary exacerbations and mortality) in patients with CF and CFRD, creating/implementing algorithms to aid in screening for CFRD in the general CF population (current adherence rate of annual oral glucose tolerance testing in our Adult CF Center is 9.9%, well-below the national average), and to examine the effects of non-insulin antidiabetic agents on clinical outcomes, adherence, and inflammation. We are in the process of joining a multicenter trial headed by Dr. Arlene Stecenko, a pulmonologist at Emory, examining the effects of DPP-IV inhibitors on preventing progression to diabetes in patients with CF and Impaired Glucose Tolerance (a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study to determine whether chronic treatment of CF Subjects with impaired glucose tolerance using sitagliptin (Januvia) prevents the development of Diabetes). This is a very exciting opportunity, since prior to now, only insulin and repaglinide (oral insulin secretagogue) have been studied in CF. We are also looking at the effect of the new CF Transmembrane channel therapy (CFTR correctors/potentiators) on insulin secretion and glycemic control. CFTR is present in the pancreatic ᵦ-cell, and patients on these medications have improved insulin secretion, and decreased exogenous insulin requirements.