Too Fat for Transplant? The Impact of Recipient BMI on Pancreas Transplant Outcomes

Pancreas Transplantation Outcome Predictions-PTOP: A Risk Prediction Tool for Pancreas and Pancreas-Kidney Transplants Based on a European Cohort

Background

For patients with complicated type 1 diabetes having, for example, hypoglycemia unawareness and end-stage renal disease because of diabetic nephropathy, combined pancreas and kidney transplantation (PKT) is the therapy of choice. However, the shortage of available grafts and complex impact of risk factors call for individualized, impartial predictions of PKT and pancreas transplantation (PT) outcomes to support physicians in graft acceptance decisions.

Methods

Based on a large European cohort with 3060 PKT and PT performed between 2006 and 2021, the 3 primary patient outcomes time to patient mortality, pancreas graft loss, and kidney graft loss were visualized using Kaplan-Meier survival curves. Multivariable Cox proportional hazards models were developed for 5- and 10-y prediction of outcomes based on 26 risk factors.

Results

Risk factors associated with increased mortality included previous kidney transplants, rescue allocations, longer waiting times, and simultaneous transplants of other organs. Increased pancreas graft loss was positively associated with higher recipient body mass index and donor age and negatively associated with simultaneous transplants of kidneys and other organs. Donor age was also associated with increased kidney graft losses. The multivariable Cox models reported median C-index values were 63% for patient mortality, 62% for pancreas loss, and 55% for kidney loss.

Conclusions

This study provides an online risk tool at https://riskcalc.org/ptop for individual 5- and 10-y post-PKT and PT patient outcomes based on parameters available at the time of graft offer to support critical organ acceptance decisions and encourage external validation in independent populations.

Multi-Centre UK Analysis of Simultaneous Pancreas and Kidney (SPK) Transplant in Recipients With Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus

90% of the UK diabetic population are classified as T2DM. This study aims to compare outcomes after SPK transplant between recipients with T1DM or T2DM. Data on all UK SPK transplants from 2003-2019 were obtained from the NHSBT Registry (n = 2,236). Current SPK transplant selection criteria for T2DM requires insulin treatment and recipient BMI < 30 kg/m2. After exclusions (re-transplants/ambiguous type of diabetes) we had a cohort of n = 2,154. Graft (GS) and patient (PS) survival analyses were conducted using Kaplan-Meier plots and Cox-regression models. Complications were compared using chi-squared analyses. 95.6% of SPK transplants were performed in recipients with T1DM (n = 2,060). Univariate analysis showed comparable outcomes for pancreas GS at 1 year (p = 0.120), 3 years (p = 0.237), and 10 years (p = 0.196) and kidney GS at 1 year (p = 0.438), 3 years (p = 0.548), and 10 years (p = 0.947). PS was comparable at 1 year (p = 0.886) and 3 years (p = 0.237) and at 10 years (p = 0.161). Multi-variate analysis showed comparable outcomes in pancreas GS (p = 0.564, HR 1.221, 95% CI 0.619, 2.406) and PS(p = 0.556, HR 1.280, 95% CI 0.563, 2.911). Comparable rates of common complications were demonstrated. This is the largest series outside of the US evaluating outcomes after SPK transplants and shows similar outcomes between T1DM and T2DM recipients. It is hoped dissemination of this data will lead to increased referral rates and assessment of T2DM patients who could benefit from SPK transplantation.

Impact of early corticosteroid withdrawal on simultaneous pancreas-kidney transplant long-term outcomes: Single center experience and comparison to the International Pancreas Transplant Registry

BACKGROUND

There remains a paucity of modern data comparing early steroid withdrawal (ESW) versus chronic corticosteroid (CCS) immunosuppression in simultaneous pancreas kidney (SPK) transplant recipients with long-term follow-up. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to assess the effectiveness and tolerability of ESW compared to CCS post-SPK.

METHODS

This was a retrospective single-center matched comparison with the International Pancreas Transplant Registry (IPTR). Patients from University of Illinois Hospital (UIH) represented the ESW group and were compared to those matched CCS patients from the IPTR. Included patients were adult recipients of a primary SPK transplant between 2003 and 2018 within the US receiving rabbit anti-thymocyte globulin induction. Patients were excluded if they had early technical failures, missing IPTR data, graft thrombosis, re-transplant, or positive crossmatch SPK.

RESULTS

A total of 156 patients were matched and included in the analysis. Patients were predominantly African American (46.15%) males (64.1%) with Type 1 diabetes etiology (92.31%). Overall pancreas allograft survival (hazard ratio [HR] = .89, 95% confidence interval [CI] .34-2.30, p = .81) and kidney allograft survival (HR = .80, 95%CI .32-2.03, p = .64) were similar between the two groups. Immunologic pancreas allograft loss was statistically similar at 1-year (ESW 1.3% vs. CCS 0%, p = .16), 5-year (ESW 1.3% vs. CCS 7.7%, p = .16), and 10-year (ESW 11.0% vs. CCS 7.7%, p = .99). The 1-year (ESW 2.6% vs. CCS 0%, p > .05), 5-year (ESW 8.3% vs. CCS 7.0%, p > .05), and 10-year (ESW 22.7% vs. CCS 9.9%, p = .2575) immunologic kidney allograft loss were also statistically similar. There was no difference in 10-year overall patient survival (ESW 76.2% vs. CCS 65.6%, p = .63).

CONCLUSIONS

No differences were found between allograft or patient survival post-SPK when comparing an ESW or CCS protocol. Future assessment is needed to determine differences in metabolic outcomes.

Comprehensive review: Frailty in pancreas transplant candidates and recipients

Well-selected patients with kidney disease and diabetes mellitus who undergo simultaneous kidney-pancreas transplantation often experience dramatic improvements in quality of life and long-term survival compared to those who remain on medical therapy. Over the past several years the importance of frailty in the pancreas transplant candidate and recipient populations has grown. More patients with advanced age have entered the waitlist, and complications from prolonged diabetes, even in younger patients, have created increased evidence of risk for frailty. Given these concerns, and the broad challenges facing pancreas transplantation volumes overall, we generated this review to help establish the impact and implications. We summarize the interplay of immunological factors, aging, environmental factors, diabetes mellitus, and chronic kidney disease that put these patients at risk for frailty. We discuss its measurement and recommend a combination of two instruments (both well-validated and one entirely objective). We describe the outcomes for patients before and after pancreas transplantation who may have frailty, and what interventions can be taken to mitigate its effects. Broader investigation into frailty in the pancreas transplant population is needed to better understand how to select patients for pancreas transplantation and to how manage its consequences thereafter.

Characteristics of transplant athletes competing at national and international transplant games

Objective

To describe the characteristics of athletes with solid-organ transplants (TxA) attending the British and World Transplant Games.

Methods

220 TxA completed an online survey to explore transplant history, medications, training advice and support and limitations to training.

Results

TxA were predominantly caucasian, male, kidney recipients in their mid-forties and approximately 11 years post-transplant. The majority of TxA took some form of medication (immunosuppressants 88%, steroids 47%, antihypertensives 47%, statins 28%, antiplatelets 26%, antibiotics/antivirals/antifungals 20%). Stem cell recipients were least likely to require medication. Post-transplant complications were experienced by 40% of TxA, with 53% of these being rejection. Although over half the participants (57%) initially received exercise or training advice post-transplant, only 34% of these received this from their consultants or immediate medical team. Only 1% had been specifically directed towards transplant sport. Half of the TxA (53%) perceived there were limitations preventing them from performing at their potential, 45% considered they did not recover from training as well as non-TxA while 29% felt they trained equally to non-Tx’s. Only 6% considered medication impaired training. TxA competed for a range of reasons from social and health benefits to winning medals.

Conclusions

TxA compete at the British and World Transplant Games for a diverse range of reasons. Athletes manage a range of medications with a range of exercise and health experiences pre-transplant. TxA face a lack of both general and specific exercise training and recovery guidance. The individuality of each TxA‘s background should be considered and is likely reflected in their exercise capacity and goals.

Working towards an ERAS Protocol for Pancreatic Transplantation: A Narrative Review

Enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS) initially started in the early 2000s as a series of protocols to improve the perioperative care of surgical patients. They aimed to increase patient satisfaction while reducing postoperative complications and postoperative length of stay. Despite these protocols being widely adopted in many fields of surgery, they are yet to be adopted in pancreatic transplantation: a high-risk surgery with often prolonged length of postoperative stay and high rate of complications. We have analysed the literature in pancreatic and transplantation surgery to identify the necessary preoperative, intra-operative and postoperative components of an ERAS pathway in pancreas transplantation.