Sequential kidney/islet transplantation using prednisone-free immunosuppression

Am J Transplant. 2002 Aug;2(7):674-7. doi: 10.1034/j.1600-6143.2002.20715.x.

Abstract

Islet transplantation is becoming established as a treatment option for type I diabetes in select patients. Individuals with type I diabetes who have previously received a successful kidney allograft may be good candidates for islet transplantation. They have already assumed the risks of chronic immunosuppression, so the added procedural risk of a subsequent islet transplant would be minimal. Furthermore, because of the preimmunosuppressed state it is possible that islet-after-kidney transplantation may result in a more efficient early islet engraftment. Consequently, insulin independence might be achieved with significantly fewer islets than the approximately 8-10,000 islet equivalents/kg/b.w. currently required. A mass that usually demands two or more cadaveric donors. A case of successful islet-after-kidney transplantation is described using the steroid-free Edmonton immunosuppression protocol. Characteristics of the final islet product are: a) islet equivalents: 265,888 (4100 islet equivalents/kg/b.w.); b) islet purity: 75-80%; c) viability: >95% (trypan blue exclusion); and d) mean islet potency (static low-high glucose challenge): 4.16 +/- 1.91-fold increase. Post-transplant the patient's hypoglycemic episodes abated. Exogenous insulin requirements were eliminated at week 12 post-transplant as basal and Ensure (Abbott Laboratories, Abbott Park, IL, USA) oral glucose stimulated C-peptide levels peaked and stabilized. Twenty-four-hour continuous glucose monitoring confirmed moment-to-moment glycemic control, and periodic nonfasting finger stick glucose determinations over the next month confirmed glycemia was controlled. Hemoglobin A1c levels declined from a pretransplant level of 6.9% to 5.3%. Renal allograft function remained changed.

Publication types

  • Case Reports
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Blood Glucose / metabolism*
  • Diabetes Mellitus, Type 1 / surgery
  • Diabetic Nephropathies / surgery
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Immunosuppressive Agents / therapeutic use*
  • Islets of Langerhans Transplantation / immunology
  • Islets of Langerhans Transplantation / physiology*
  • Kidney Transplantation / immunology
  • Kidney Transplantation / physiology*
  • Middle Aged
  • Treatment Outcome

Substances

  • Blood Glucose
  • Immunosuppressive Agents