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Editorial
. 2025 Jan-Dec:34:9636897241312801.
doi: 10.1177/09636897241312801.

Can Islet Transplantation Possibly Reduce Mortality in Type 1 Diabetes

Jeffrey S Isenberg  1 , Fouad Kandeel  2
Affiliations
Editorial

Can Islet Transplantation Possibly Reduce Mortality in Type 1 Diabetes

Jeffrey S Isenberg et al. Cell Transplant. 2025 Jan-Dec.

Abstract

Islet transplantation (IT) is a successful natural cell therapy. But the benefits are known mostly to individuals with severe type 1 diabetes who undergo IT and the health care professionals that work to make the therapy available, reproducible, and safe. Data linking IT to overall survival in T1D might alter this situation and frame the therapy in a more positive light. Recent analysis of mortality in several cohorts suggests that IT has possible survival benefits when used alone or in conjunction with renal transplantation. Multi-center prospective studies with long-term follow-up of individuals that receive stand-alone IT versus individuals who qualify for but do not undergo the procedure would seem reasonable to undertake to confirm an IT survival benefit.

Keywords: clinical trial; islet transplantation; mortality.

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Conflict of interest statement

Declaration of Conflicting InterestsThe author(s) declared the following potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article: J.S.I. is a consultant to San Rocco Therapeutics (Tampa, FL). F.K. declares no conflicts of interest regarding the work and results described herein.

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