Pancreas after kidney transplants in posturemic patients with type I diabetes mellitus

Heparin Thromboprophylaxis in Simultaneous Pancreas-Kidney Transplantation: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Observational Studies

Thrombosis is a leading causes of pancreas graft loss after simultaneous pancreas kidney (SPK), pancreas after kidney (PAK), and pancreas transplant alone (PTA). There remains no standardized thromboprophylaxis protocol. The aim of this systematic review and meta-analysis is to evaluate the impact of heparin thromboprophylaxis on the incidence of pancreas thrombosis, pancreas graft loss, bleeding, and secondary outcomes in SPK, PAK, and PTA. Following PRISMA guidelines, we systematically searched BIOSIS®, PubMed®, Cochrane Library®, EMBASE®, MEDLINE®, and Web of Science® on April 21, 2021. Primary peer-reviewed studies that met inclusion criteria were included. Two methods of quantitative synthesis were performed to account for comparative and non-comparative studies. We included 11 studies, comprising of 1,122 patients in the heparin group and 236 patients in the no-heparin group. When compared to the no-heparin control, prophylactic heparinization significantly decreased the risk of early pancreas thrombosis and pancreas loss for SPK, PAK and PTA without increasing the incidence of bleeding or acute return to the operating room. Heparin thromboprophylaxis yields an approximate two-fold reduction in both pancreas thrombosis and pancreas loss for SPK, PAK and PTA. We report the dosage, frequency, and duration of heparin administration to consolidate the available evidence.

First World Consensus Conference on pancreas transplantation: Part II - recommendations

The First World Consensus Conference on Pancreas Transplantation provided 49 jury deliberations regarding the impact of pancreas transplantation on the treatment of diabetic patients, and 110 experts' recommendations for the practice of pancreas transplantation. The main message from this consensus conference is that both simultaneous pancreas-kidney transplantation (SPK) and pancreas transplantation alone can improve long-term patient survival, and all types of pancreas transplantation dramatically improve the quality of life of recipients. Pancreas transplantation may also improve the course of chronic complications of diabetes, depending on their severity. Therefore, the advantages of pancreas transplantation appear to clearly surpass potential disadvantages. Pancreas after kidney transplantation increases the risk of mortality only in the early period after transplantation, but is associated with improved life expectancy thereafter. Additionally, preemptive SPK, when compared to SPK performed in patients undergoing dialysis, appears to be associated with improved outcomes. Time on dialysis has negative prognostic implications in SPK recipients. Increased long-term survival, improvement in the course of diabetic complications, and amelioration of quality of life justify preferential allocation of kidney grafts to SPK recipients. Audience discussions and live voting are available online at the following URL address: http://mediaeventi.unipi.it/category/1st-world-consensus-conference-of-pancreas-transplantation/246.

[Pancreas transplantation-clinic, technique, and histological assessment]

BACKGROUND

In Germany pancreas transplants are performed in only a few selected and specialized centres, usually combined with a kidney transplant. Knowlegde of the indications for and techniques of transplantation as well as of the histopathological assessment for rejection in pancreas and duodenal biopsies is not very widespread.

AIM

To give an overview of the development and status quo in pancreas-kidney-transplantation in Germany summarizing the experience of the largest German pancreas transplant centre and to give a résumé of the results of histological diagnoses of biopsy specimens submitted between 06/2017 and 12/2020. Moreover, a detailed description and illustration of histological findings is included.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

A thorough literature search for aspects of the history, technique and indication for pancreas transplantation was performed and discussed in the context of the local experience and technical particularities specific for the transplant centre in Bochum. The occurrence of complications was compared with international reports. Results of pancreas and duodenal biopsies submitted to Erlangen between 06/2017 and 12/2020 for histological evaluation, which were evaluated according to the Banff classification, were summarized. For a better understanding key histological findings of pancreas rejection and differential diagnoses were illustrated and discussed.

RESULTS

A total of 93 pancreas transplant specimens and 3 duodenal biopsies were included. 34.4% of pancreas specimens did not contain representative material for a diagnosis. In the remaining 61 biopsies 24.6% showed no rejection, 62.3% were diagnosed with acute T-cell mediated rejection (TCMR) and 8.2% with signs suspicious of antibody-mediated rejection (ABMR). Acute acinary epithelial injury was seen in 59%, pancreatitis in 8.2% and allograft fibrosis was reported in as many as 54.1%. Calcineurin-inhibitor toxicity was discussed in only 4.9%.

CONCLUSION

Pancreas-kidney-transplantation and standardized histological assessment of the transplanted pancreas or rarely duodenum with reporting according to the updated Banff classification of pancreas transplants or previous reports of duodenal rejection are important mainstays in the management of patients with diabetes.

Pancreas Retransplant After Pancreas Graft Failure in Simultaneous Pancreas-kidney Transplants Is Associated With Better Kidney Graft Survival

Background.

Simultaneous pancreas-kidney (SPK) transplant is usually the best option for the diabetic end-stage renal disease patient. There is limited information about kidney graft outcomes in SPK recipients with isolated pancreas graft failure who do versus do not undergo pancreas retransplantation.

Methods.

Patients were divided into 2 groups based on whether they underwent pancreas retransplant (ReTx⁺) or not (ReTx⁻). Kidney graft function and survival were the primary endpoints.

Results.

One hundred and nine patients satisfied our selection criteria, 25 in ReTx⁺ and 84 in ReTx⁻. Mean interval from SPK to pancreas failure was significantly shorter in the ReTx⁺ compared with the ReTx⁻ group, 19.3 ± 36.7 versus 45.7 ± 47.0 months (P = 0.01), respectively. There was no significant difference in kidney graft follow-up post SPK between 2 groups (P = 0.48). At last follow-up, 15 of the 25 (60%) of the repeat pancreas graft had failed, with a mean graft survival among these failed pancreas graft of 2.6 ± 2.7 years, ranging from 0 to 8.1 years. Uncensored kidney graft failure was significantly lower in the ReTx⁺ group compared with the ReTx⁻ group, 44% versus 67% (P = 0.04). Death-censored kidney graft failure was also lower in the ReTx⁺ group, 24% versus 48% (P = 0.04). The difference in patient survival did not reach statistical significance. In adjusted Cox regression analysis, rejection as a cause of pancreas failure was associated with increased risk of death-censored kidney graft failure, and pancreas retransplantation was associated with decreased risk of kidney graft failure. A similar pattern was seen after 1:1 matching for the interval between SPK and pancreas graft failure.

Conclusions.

Even though ReTx⁺ patients accept the risks associated with repeat pancreas surgery, providers should consider this option in suitable otherwise healthy patients.

The survival advantage of pancreas after kidney transplant

Patient survival after pancreas after kidney transplant (PAK) has been reported to be inferior to patient survival after simultaneous pancreas-kidney transplant (SPK). The authors examine national data to further explore allograft (kidney and pancreas) and patient survival after PAK. Kaplan-Meier and Cox proportional hazard models were used to analyze Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network data from 1995 to 2010. The analysis compared PAK and SPK candidates and recipients. Kaplan-Meier analysis results showed that PAK after either a living or a deceased donor kidney transplant is associated with increased kidney graft survival compared with recipients with type 1 diabetes who received only a kidney. The best kidney allograft survival was for patients who received a living donor kidney followed by PAK. Receiving a living donor kidney was associated with increased pancreas allograft survival compared with receiving a deceased donor kidney. PAK transplant recipients who receive both organs have a survival advantage compared with uremic candidates who receive neither (SPK waitlist). Compared with uremic diabetic waitlist patients, SPK and PAK recipients showed similar overall patient survival. Successful PAK offers a survival advantage compared with receiving neither a kidney nor a pancreas transplant. These data also suggest that receiving a pancreas (after kidney) transplant may have a protective effect on the kidney allograft.

Hypothermic pulsatile perfusion of human pancreas: Preliminary technical feasibility study based on histology

BACKGROUND

There are currently two approaches to hypothermic preservation for most solid organs: static or dynamic. Cold storage is the main method used for static storage (SS), while hypothermic pulsatile perfusion (HPP) and other machine perfusion-based methods, such as normothermic machine perfusion and oxygen persufflation, are the methods used for dynamic preservation. HPP is currently approved for kidney transplantation.

METHODS

We evaluated, for the first time, the feasibility of HPP on 11 human pancreases contraindicated for clinical transplantation because of advanced age and/or history of severe alcoholism and/or abnormal laboratory tests. Two pancreases were used as SS controls, pancreas splitting was performed on 2 other pancreases for SS and HPP and 7 pancreases were tested for HPP. HPP preservation lasted 24 h at 25 mmHg. Resistance index was continuously monitored and pancreas and duodenum histology was evaluated every 6 h.

RESULTS

The main finding was the complete absence of edema of the pancreas and duodenum at all time-points during HPP. Insulin, glucagon and somatostatin staining was normal. Resistance index decreased during the first 12 h and remained stable thereafter.

CONCLUSION

24 h hypothermic pulsatile perfusion of marginal human pancreas-duodenum organs was feasible with no deleterious parenchymal effect. These observations encourage us to further develop this technique and evaluate the safety of HPP after clinical transplantation.

Protocol Duodenal Graft Biopsies Aid Pancreas Graft Surveillance

BACKGROUND

Histological evaluation of the pancreas graft is usually done on demand resulting in significant delays. This analysis reports on endoscopic protocol duodenal graft biopsies at regular intervals to determine feasibility, safety, and monitoring benefits.

METHODS

Protocol duodenal graft biopsies in 27 consecutive pancreas transplants (10 simultaneous pancreas kidney [SPK], 17 pancreas after kidney [PAK]) with a follow-up of a minimum of 12 months were performed at days 14, 30, 90, 180, 360, 430. University of Pittsburgh Medical Center classification for intestinal rejection was used. C4d staining was performed when antibody-mediated rejection was suspected.

RESULTS

Overall patient and pancreas graft survival was 100% and 93% at a mean follow-up of 2.8 years. One hundred sixty-seven endoscopic biopsy procedures were performed in 27 grafts without any complication. Biopsies revealed rejection in 3 (30%) SPK recipients and in 15 (82%) of PAK recipients as early as 14 days posttransplant. Two patients underwent PAK retransplantation diagnosed with acute rejection at day 180. All except 1 recipient being treated for rejection, showed histological improvement following antirejection treatment. Following transient treatment success, a total of 3 pancreas grafts were lost for immunological reason. One loss was immediate despite antirejection treatment, 1 secondary to nonresolving rejection at 7 months and the third due to recurrent rejection 15 months posttransplantation. Additionally, biopsies detected vascular (venous thrombosis) and overimmunosuppression (cytomegalovirus infection) complications.

CONCLUSIONS

Protocol graft duodenal biopsies detect complications after whole-organ pancreas transplantation, are useful in guiding therapy, and carry potential for improving outcome.

Ipsilateral versus contralateral placement of the pancreas allograft in pancreas after kidney transplant recipients

BACKGROUND

In a diabetic, uremic kidney transplant recipient that may receive a future pancreas after kidney (PAK) transplant, the kidney is typically implanted on the left side in anticipation of the subsequent pancreas transplant on the right side. In this study, we sought to determine if ipsilateral PAK (iPAK) is as safe as contralateral PAK (cPAK).

METHODS

The 115 PAK transplants (iPAK n = 57, cPAK n = 58) were performed from 1997-2010 and results were compared between the groups.

RESULTS

Kidney graft survival and pancreas graft survival was similar between the two groups. Kidney graft function according to serum creatinine and eGFR was not different between the cPAK and the iPAK groups and there were no episodes of kidney graft thrombosis in either group. Subgroup analyses focusing on donor source also did not show worse outcomes for graft survivals in iPAK group when compared to cPAK group.

CONCLUSIONS

Pancreas and kidney graft survival in PAK transplants is unaffected by the surgical procedure and iPAK is safe.

The rise and potential fall of pancreas transplantation

BACKGROUND

The aim of this review is to bring pancreatic transplantation out of the specialist realm, informing practitioners about this important procedure, so that they feel better equipped to refer suitable patients for transplantation and manage, counsel and support when encountering them within their own speciality.

SOURCES OF DATA

Narrative review conducted in May 2017. OVID interface searching EMBASE and MEDLINE databases, using Timeframe: Inception to June 1, 2017. Articles were assessed for clinical relevance and most up to date content with articles written in english as the only inclusion criteria. Other sources, used included conference proceedings/presentations, unpublished data from our institution (Oxford Transplant Centre).

AREAS OF AGREEMENT

Pancreas transplantation has evolved from an experimental procedure to the gold standard of care for patients with type 1 diabetes and uraemia. Currently, it remains the most effective method of establishing and maintaining euglycemia over the longer term, halting and potentially reversing many of the secondary complications associated with diabetes. Significant improvements to quality of life and better life expectancy make it in the longer term, a lifesaving procedure compared to waiting candidates.

AREAS OF CONTROVERSY

The future of solid organ pancreas transplantation remains uncertain, with extensive comorbidity and advances in alternative therapies makes the long-term growth of the procedure questionable.

GROWING POINTS AND AREAS TIMELY FOR DEVELOPING RESEARCH

Therapies to alleviate problems associated with ischaemia reperfusion injury, graft pancreatitis and more effective monitoring methods for detecting and treating organ rejection are the key areas of growth.

An analysis of the survival outcomes of simultaneous pancreas and kidney transplantation compared to live donor kidney transplantation in patients with type 1 diabetes: a UK Transplant Registry study

Transplant options for patients with type 1 diabetes and end-stage renal disease (ESRD) include deceased donor kidney, live donor kidney (LDK) and simultaneous pancreas-kidney (SPK) transplantation. The aim of this study was to compare outcomes between LDK and SPK for patients with type 1 diabetes and ESRD in the UK. Data on all SPK (n = 1739) and LDK (n = 385) transplants performed between January 2001 and December 2014 were obtained from the UK Transplant Registry. Unadjusted patient and kidney graft survival were calculated using the Kaplan-Meier method. Multivariate analysis of kidney graft and patient survival was performed using Cox proportional hazards regression. There was no significant difference in patient (P = 0.435) or kidney graft survival (P = 0.204) on univariate analysis. On multivariate analysis there was no association between LDK/SPK and patient survival [HR 0.71 (0.47-1.06), P = 0.095]. However, LDK was associated with an overall lower risk for kidney graft failure [HR 0.60 (0.38-0.94), P = 0.025]. SPK recipients with a functioning pancreas graft had significantly better kidney graft and patient survival than LDK recipients or those with a failed pancreas graft. SPK transplantation does not confer an overall survival advantage compared to LDK. However, those SPK recipients with a functioning pancreas have significantly better outcomes.

Advances in pancreas transplantation

The potential to reverse diabetes has to be balanced against the morbidity of long-term immunosuppression associated with transplantation. For a patient with renal failure, the treatment of choice is often a simultaneous transplant of the pancreas and kidney or pancreas after kidney. For a patient with glycaemic instability, choices between a solid organ or islet transplant have to be weighed against benefits and risks of remaining on insulin. Results of simultaneous transplant of the pancreas and kidney transplantation are comparable to other solid-organ transplants, and there is evidence of improved quality of life and life expectancy. There is some evidence of benefit with respect to the progression of secondary diabetic complications in patients with functioning transplants for several years.

Pancreas Transplantation: Past, Present, Future

Diabetes is the pandemic disease of the modern era, with 10% of these patients having type 1 diabetes mellitus. Despite the prevalence, morbidities, and associated financial burden, treatment options have not changed since the introduction of injectable insulin. To date, over 40,000 pancreas transplants have been performed globally. It remains the only known method for restoring glycemic control and thus curing type 1 diabetes mellitus. The aim of this review is to bring pancreatic transplantation out of the specialist realm, informing practitioners about this important procedure, so that they feel better equipped to refer suitable patients for transplantation and manage, counsel, and support when encountering them within their own specialty. This study was a narrative review conducted in October 2015, with OVID interface searching EMBASE and MEDLINE databases, using Timeframe: Inception to October 2015. Articles were assessed for clinical relevance and most up-to-date content, with articles written in English as the only inclusion criterion. Other sources used included conference proceedings/presentations and unpublished data from our institution (Oxford Transplant Centre). Pancreatic transplantation is growing and has quickly become the gold standard of care for patients with type 1 diabetes mellitus and renal failure. Significant improvements in quality of life and life expectancy make pancreatic transplant a viable and economically feasible intervention. It remains the most effective method of establishing and maintaining euglycemia, halting and potentially reversing complications associated with diabetes.

Pancreatic Transplantation: Evaluation and Management

More than 2 million people in the United States have type 1 diabetes mellitus. Pancreatic transplantation has emerged as the single most effective means of achieving normal glucose homeostasis in this patient population. Newer immunosuppressive agents and surgical techniques continue to evolve, resulting in improved long-term graft and patient survival. Herein, an understanding of the evaluation, technical aspects, and perioperative management of pancreas transplantation is outlined.

The current state of pancreas transplantation

For many patients with type 1 diabetes mellitus and selected patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus, a successful pancreas transplant is the only definitive long-term treatment that both restores euglycaemia without the risk of severe hypoglycaemia and prevents, halts or reverses secondary complications. These benefits come at the cost of major surgery and lifelong immunosuppression. Nevertheless, pancreas transplants are safe and effective, with patient survival rates currently >95% at 1 year and >88% at 5 years; graft survival rates are almost 85% at 1 year and >60% at 5 years. The estimated half-life of a pancreas graft is now 7-14 years. The improvements in graft survival are attributable to considerable reductions in technical failures and in immunologic graft losses. Pancreas recipients have reduced mortality compared with waiting candidates or patients with diabetes mellitus who undergo a kidney transplant alone. Pancreas transplants should be more frequently offered to nonuraemic patients with brittle diabetes mellitus to prevent the development of secondary diabetic complications and to avoid the need for a kidney transplant. Although the results of islet transplantation have also improved, islet recipients rarely maintain long-term insulin independence despite the use of multiple organ donor pancreases. Pancreas transplants and islet transplants should be considered complementary, not mutually exclusive, procedures that are chosen on the basis of the individual patient's surgical risk.

Optimizing the program-specific reporting of pancreas transplant outcomes

The Scientific Registry of Transplant Recipients is charged with providing program-specific reports for organ transplant programs in the United States. Monitoring graft survival for pancreas transplant programs has been problematic as there are three different pancreas transplant procedures that may have different outcomes, and analyzing them separately reduces events and statistical power. We combined two consecutive 2.5-year cohorts of transplant recipients to develop Cox proportional hazards models predicting outcomes, and tested these models in the second 2.5-year cohort. We used separate models for 1- and 3-year graft and patient survival for each transplant type: simultaneous pancreas-kidney (SPK), pancreas after kidney (PAK) and pancreas transplant alone (PTA). We first built a predictive model for each pancreas transplant type, and then pooled the transplant types within centers to compare total observed events with total predicted events. Models for 1-year pancreas graft and patient survival yielded C statistics of 0.65 (95% confidence interval, 0.63-0.68) and 0.66 (0.61-0.72), respectively, comparable to C statistics for 1-year patient and graft survival for other organ transplants. Model calibration (Hosmer-Lemeshow method) was also acceptable. We conclude that pooling the results of SPK, PAK and PTA can produce potentially useful models for reporting program-specific pancreas transplant outcomes.

Pancreas after living donor kidney transplants in diabetic patients: impact on long-term kidney graft function

In this single-institution study, we compared outcomes in diabetic recipients of living donor (LD) kidney transplants that did vs. did not undergo a subsequent pancreas transplant. Of 307 diabetic recipients who underwent LD kidney transplants from January 1, 1995, through December 31, 2003, a total of 175 underwent a subsequent pancreas after kidney (PAK) transplant; 75 were deemed eligible (E) for, but did not receive (for personal or financial reasons), a PAK, and thus had a kidney transplant alone (KTA); and 57 deemed ineligible (I) for a PAK because of comorbidity also had just a KTA. We analyzed the three groups (PAK, KTA-E, KTA-I) for differences in patient characteristics, glycemic control, renal function, patient and kidney graft survival rates, and causes of death. Kidney graft survival rates (actuarial) were similar in the PAK vs. KTA-E groups at one, five, and 10 yr post-transplant: 98%, 82%, and 67% (PAK) vs. 100%, 84%, and 62% (KTA-E) (p = 0.9). The long-term (greater than four yr post-transplant) estimated glomerular filtration rate (GFR) was higher in the PAK than in the KTA-E group: 53 +/- 20 mL/min (PAK) vs. 43 +/- 16 mL/min (KTA-E) (p = 0.016). The patient survival rates were also similar for the PAK and KTA-E groups. We conclude that the subsequent transplant of a pancreas after an LD kidney transplant does not adversely affect patient or kidney graft survival rates; in fact, it is associated with better long-term kidney graft function.

Pancreas transplantation

Since the introduction of pancreas transplantation more than 40 years ago, efforts to develop more minimally invasive techniques for endocrine replacement therapy have been in progress, yet this surgical procedure still remains the treatment of choice for diabetic patients with end-stage renal failure. Many improvements have been made in the surgical techniques and immunosuppressive regimens, both of which have contributed to an increasing number of indications for pancreas transplantation. This operation can be justified on the basis that patients replace daily injections of insulin with an improved quality of life but at the expense of a major surgical procedure and lifelong immunosuppression. The various indications, categories, and outcomes of patients having a pancreas transplant are discussed, particularly with reference to the effect on long-term diabetic complications.

The long-term management of pancreas transplantation

Diabetes mellitus (DM) is a major health problem worldwide, which affects 18.2 million individuals (6.3% of the population) in the United States. Currently, the prevalence of Type 1 DM in the United States is estimated to be 1,000,000 individuals, and 30,000 new cases are diagnosed each year. In addition to end-stage renal disease (ESRD), DM is associated with blindness, accelerated atherosclerosis, dyslipidemia, cardio- and cerebrovascular disease, amputation, poor quality of life, and overall lifespan reduction. It accounts for more than 160,000 deaths per year in the United States alone. In 2002, the annual national direct and indirect costs of Types 1 and 2 DM exceeded $130 billion, which included hospital and physician care, laboratory tests, pharmaceutical products, and patient workdays lost because of disability or premature death. Hyperglycemia alone or in concert with hypertension is the primary factor influencing the development of major diabetic complications. From 1990 to 2001, the number of existing ESRD cases to DM increased by more than 300%, while the rate per million populations increased from 167% to 491%. The number is expected to grow 10-fold by 2030 to 1.3 million accounting for 60% of ESRD population. To date, DM is the leading indication for transplantation and is the cause of ESRD in more than 40% of all transplant recipients each year.

Mortality assessment for pancreas transplants

We determined and compared the mortality of pancreas transplant recipients and of patients on the pancreas waiting lists by using United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS) and International Pancreas Transplant Registry (IPTR) data. From January 1, 1995, through May 31, 2003, a total of 12,478 patients were listed for a simultaneous pancreas-kidney (SPK) transplant; 2942 for a pancreas after (previous) kidney transplant (PAK); and 1207 for a pancreas transplant alone (PTA). In this retrospective observational cohort study, patients with multiple listings at different transplant centers and patients who changed transplant centers were counted only once. The Social Security Death Master File (SSDMF) and the UNOS kidney transplant database were used to update mortality information. By univariate analyses, 4-year patient survival rates on the waiting lists (vs. post-transplant), in the SPK category, were 58.7% (vs. 90.3%); in the PAK category, 81.7% (vs. 88.3%); and in the PTA category, 87.3% (vs. 90.5%). Up to one-third of recipient deaths after post-transplant day 90 were not related to the transplant procedure itself. Multivariate analyses showed that the overall mortality in all three categories was not increased after transplantation (for SPK recipients only, it was significantly decreased). In summary, the mortality for solitary pancreas transplant recipients is not higher than for wait-listed patients.

Beta-cell replacement for type I diabetes

The ability to achieve insulin independence with either solid-organ pancreas or islet transplantation has increased the number of patients seeking beta-cell replacement as an alternative to insulin therapy. Despite dramatic improvements in the ability to achieve insulin independence following solid-organ pancreas transplantation, the secondary complications of long-standing diabetes are frequently irreversible by the time surgical intervention is justified based on the risk of this procedure. Pancreatic islet transplantation provides a safer and less invasive alternative for beta-cell replacement that could be justified earlier in the course of diabetes to prevent the development of secondary complications. Recent advances in the technology of islet isolation, as well as the ability to prevent the alloimmune and recurrent autoimmune response following islet transplantation with immunosuppressive regimens that are not toxic to beta cells, have rekindled an interest in this field. Widespread application of islet transplantation will depend on further improvements in selective immunosuppression, development of immunologic tolerance, and finding new sources of beta cells.

Pancreas-after-kidney transplantation: an increasingly attractive alternative to simultaneous pancreas-kidney transplantation

BACKGROUND

Historically, the clinical acceptability of pancreas-after-kidney (PAK) transplantation has been hampered by relatively high acute rejection rates and lower pancreas graft survival rates when compared with the more commonly performed simultaneous pancreas-kidney (SPK) transplantation. The purpose of this study was to compare PAK transplantation to SPK transplantation in the Thymoglobulin induction era.

METHODS

The authors reviewed all bladder-drained PAK (n=47) transplants receiving rabbit antithymocyte globulin induction from June 1998 to June 2002 and compared them with SPK (n=25) transplants during the same time period at their institution. The authors retrospectively studied data on demographics, patient survival, graft (pancreas and kidney) survival, complications, and biopsy-proven rejection episodes.

RESULTS

The actuarial 1-year patient survival was 93% for the PAK group versus 100% for the SPK group (P =not significant [NS]). The actuarial 1-year pancreas graft survival was 87% for the PAK group versus 92% for the SPK group (P =NS). Waiting time for PAK was significantly shorter than for SPK (6.3 +/- 5.2 vs. 16.2 + -13.7 months, P <0.05). Clinical acute rejection rates were similar in the two groups (4.3% for PAK vs. 4.0% for SPK). PAK recipients demonstrated a greater decline in renal function after transplantation compared with SPK. A multivariate analysis failed to elucidate the cause.

CONCLUSIONS

Newer immunosuppressive regimens allow PAK transplant patients to achieve immunologic outcomes similar to SPK transplant patients. Although the shorter waiting time and the ability to use living-donor kidneys make PAK an increasingly attractive alternative to SPK transplantation, its effect on renal allograft function deserves further attention.

The year in review--ATC 2002

Strategies for dealing with the exponential growth of the waiting lists for solid organ transplants were the hottest clinical topics in 2002, and dominated the abstracts presented at ATC 2002. Other clinical topics that were prominent in the 2002 literature and received the highest scores at ATC 2002 included: the development of immunosuppressive regimens minimizing calcineurin inhibitors and eliminating steroids; the increasing frequency and severity of hepatitis C recurrence following transplantation; the safety and efficacy of solid organ transplantation in HIV-positive recipients; the induction of tolerance with donor stem cell infusion and recipient preconditioning; the increasing incidence of BK virus; and beta-cell replacement for the treatment of diabetes mellitus.