Pancreas Transplant Registry: history and analysis of cases 1966 to October 1986.

From December 1966 to October 1986, 1001 pancreas transplants in 932 diabetic patients were reported to the International Pancreas Transplant Registry. One year actuarial graft function (insulin-independent) and recipient survival rates for all cases were 35% and 75%, respectively. In an analysis by era of 1966-77 (n = 64), 1978-82 (n = 201), 1983-84 (n = 298) and 1985-86 (n = 438) cases, 1 year graft function rates were 3, 21, 39, and 44% and recipient survival rates were 42, 72, 76, and 83, respectively (p less than 0.05 all comparisons, except 1983-84 vs. 1985-86). In an analysis of 1983-1986 cases only (n = 736), the overall 1 year graft function and patient survival rates were 42 and 79%, respectively. During this period, graft functional survival rates were similar (p greater than 0.8) for the most common duct management methods, 43% for duct injection (n = 254), 42% for enteric drainage (n = 254), and 47% for bladder drainage (n = 196) at 1 year. Graft function rates were also similar (p greater than 0.6) for whole (n = 280) and segmental (n = 456) pancreas transplants (41 vs. 42% at 1 year). Functional survival rates according to duration of preservation for grafts stored less than 6 h (n = 460), 6-12 h (n = 146) and greater than or equal to 12 h (n = 52) were 46, 39, and 30% at 1 year, and the difference was significant for the less than 6 vs. the 6-12 h preservation time (p = 0.023). Graft functional survival rates were significantly higher (p less than 0.05) in recipients who received azathioprine (AZA) and cyclosporine (CSA) in combination (n = 408) than in those who received CSA without azathioprine (n = 262) or AZA without cyclosporine, (n = 56), with 1 year graft functional survival rates of 47, 38, and 34%, respectively. For technically successful grafts, the functional survival rates were also significantly higher (p less than 0.05) in recipients treated with CSA + AZA (n = 309) than in those who received CSA without azathioprine (n = 186) or AZA without cyclosporine (n = 44), with 1 year function rates of 63, 53, and 41%, respectively.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)