Pancreas transplant outcomes for United States (US) cases reported to the United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS) and non-US cases reported to the International Pancreas Transplant Registry (IPTR) as of October, 2000.

As of October 2000, > 15,000 pancreas transplant had been reported to the IPTR, > 11,000 in the US and > 4,000 outside the US. An era analysis of US cases from 1987-2000 showed a progressive improvement in outcome (p < 0.04), with pancreas transplant graft survival rates (GSRs) going from 72% to 82% at one year for SPK cases, from 52% to 74% for PAK cases, and from 47% to 76% for PTA cases. The improvements were due both to decreases in technical failure (TF) rates (overall from 16% to 7%) and immunological failure rates (going from 8% to 2% for SPK, from 27% to 6% for PAK, and from 37% to 12% for PTA cases). The proportion of recipients > 45 years old increased from 5% to 25%, and the improved outcomes encompassed the older patients as well. In patients > 45 years old, SPK pancreas GSRs at one year increased from 62% to 78% (p < 0.002). Pancreas GSRs were also similar for recipients reported to have Type 1 or Type 2 diabetes (at one year, 84% and 83%, respectively for 1996-2000 SPK transplants), the latter designated in 3% of the recipients. Contemporary pancreas transplant outcomes were calculated separately for 1996-2000 US and non-US cases. US patient survival rates at one year were > or = 94% in each recipient category, with one-year pancreas GSRs of 84% for SPK (n = 3,697), 76% for PAK (n = 696), and 71% for PTA (n = 300) (p = 0.0001). The immunological graft failure rates for 1996-2000 US SPK, PAK and PTA cases were 2%, 6%, and 8% at one year (p = 0.001). There was a progressive increase in the use of ED (as opposed to BD) for duct management, to > 50% for 1996-2000 US SPK transplants. Approximately 20% of US SPK ED transplants had venous drainage via the portal system. Pancreas GSRs were not significantly different for 1996-2000 ED (n = 1,940) and BD (n = 1,541) US SPK transplants (83% and 84%, respectively, at one year), nor was there a difference in pancreas GSRs for systemic (n = 1,509) versus portal (n = 411) venous drained ED SPK transplants (83% for both at one year). Kidney GSRs were also not significantly different for ED versus BD US SPK cases, 93% versus 91% at one year (p = 0.13). Duct management did matter for solitary (PAK and PTA) pancreas transplants (P < or = 0.07). Pancreas GSRs for PAK recipients were 77% at one year for BD (n = 359) versus 67% for ED (n = 306) US transplants; for PTA 75% (n = 174) versus 63%. However, BD transplants were associated with a 12% conversion rate to ED by 2 years after transplantation. Analyses of outcome by immunosuppression for US cases showed pancreas GSRs ranged from 77% to 88% at one year, but were highest in SPK recipients given anti-T-cell agents for induction and CSA-MMF for maintenance immunosuppression. For PAK and PTA recipients, those given anti-T-cell agents for induction and TAC-MMF for maintenance immunosuppression had the highest GSRs: 78% and 78%, respectively, at one year for BD pancreas transplants (vs. 85% in BD SPK recipients similarly immunosuppressed, P > 0.08). In regard to non-US cases, the overwhelming majority were in the SPK category (n = 676 for 1996-2000), with a one-year pancreas GSR of 84%, not significantly different than for US cases. In summary, pancreas transplant graft survival rates were > 70% in the solitary (PAK and PTA) and > 80% in SPK recipients during the last 4 years of the 20th century. These outcomes culminate a third of a century of application for the treatment of diabetes mellitus.