Alliance of Randomized Trials of Medicine vs Metabolic Surgery in Type 2 Diabetes

Initially, 4 teams of investigators conducted randomized controlled trials (RCT) at their own site to evaluate the effectiveness of bariatric surgery compared to medical/lifestyle management of type 2 diabetes. Each study followed subjects for a duration of about 1 - 3 years. Following this, a consortium was created to pool data and continue to follow study participants. This early collaboration of the 4 groups of investigators was supported by Industry sponsors (Ethicon, Inc and Medtronic-MITG). Now, the investigators have successfully received a grant from the NIH, as the sole supporter of continued observational follow-up of study participants. The continuing aim of this study is to combine data from the 4 studies and follow the original randomized subjects for an additional 5 years of follow-up. The purpose of the study is to determine the longer term durability and effectiveness of bariatric surgery compared to medical/lifestyle intervention on the treatment of type 2 diabetes.

The four investigative groups initiated their individual RCT's at their respective sites to evaluate the effectiveness of bariatric surgery compared to multidisciplinary medical and lifestyle management of diabetes and body weight. The original trials were each designed to assess feasibility over a relatively short duration of follow-up (1-3 years). Individually, each trial lacked the sample size and duration of follow-up to meaningfully inform clinical decision making. Together, with the funding provided by the NIH for longer follow-up, the Consortium trial can provide a unique national resource to address timely and unanswered clinical questions related to the durability of these alternative management approaches in patients with T2D and obesity. Together, participants from these studies represent the largest cohort with diabetes (one third having a BMI \<35 kg/m2) ever to undergo randomized assignment to bariatric surgical procedure vs. medical/lifestyle intervention.