Factors leading to improved outcome following pancreas transplantation--the influence of immunosuppression and HLA matching

Abstract

The results of pancreas transplantation continue to improve and do not appear to have plateaued worldwide. In the United States, pancreas graft survival rates are now similar or better than those for other organ transplants, particularly when the pancreas is transplanted simultaneously with a kidney. Since 1987, more than three fourths of uremic recipients of simultaneous pancreas and kidney grafts are insulin independent and dialysis-free more than 1 year after transplantation. Although there is room for improvement in the results of solitary pancreas transplants, more than half of these patients are insulin independent at 1 year. A successful pancreas transplant results in near normalization of glucose metabolism and lowers glycosylated hemoglobin to normal levels. While a successful pancreas transplant may not elevate all diabetic patients to the level of health and function of the general population, pancreas transplant recipients report a significantly better quality of life than do those patients who remain diabetic. As the success rate of pancreas transplantation continues to improve, this treatment should be considered as a means for restoring a normal glucose level in type I diabetic patients before the development of advanced, disabling complications of the disease. Our recommendation for an approach to minimizing the antirejection response and maximizing graft survival rates in pancreas transplant recipients is to use quadruple immunosuppressive therapy with the induction doses higher than those employed for other organ transplant recipients. For SPK recipients, the allocation of organs should follow the scheme used for that of a kidney alone.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)