What is the long-term outcome of single pancreas vs. combined pancreas-kidney transplantation?

Oslo University Hospital Rikshospitalet is the national competence center for whole organ transplantation in Norway, serving the whole country. Some 15-20patients with type 1 diabetes mellitus undergo whole organ pancreas transplantation every year, either as a single pancreas transplant alone (PTA) in patients with preserved renal function, or as a simultaneous pancreas and kidney transplantation (SPK) in patients with end-stage renal disease. We have previously reported graft and patient survival for all transplantations performed in the period 2012-2016 (Lindahl et al. Am J Transplant 2018;18:154-162). Patient survival was nearly 100% for both groups of patients, but pancreas graft survival was inferior in the PTA group.

Refinement of follow-up procedures and early diagnosis of rejections have improved over the last 3 years, and the assumption is that graft survival with PTA may approach the graft survival numbers for SPK.

This work started in 2019, and was delayed due to the covid-19 pandemic in 2020 and restraints on pancreas transplantations. Our aim is to complete the project in 2022.

News from 2021:
Subprojects on pancreas transplantation have been published.

Publications 2021:
(1) Kjosen G, Rydenfelt K, Horneland R, Aandahl EM, Line PD, Dorenberg E, Berstad AE, Brabrand K, Hagen G, Pischke SE, Bergmann GB, Nordheim E, Jenssen TG, Tønnessen TI, Haugaa H. Early detection of complications in pancreas transplants by microdialysis catheters, an observational feasibility study. PloS one 2021, 16(3):e0247615.

(2) Bleskestad KB, Nordheim E, Lindahl JP, Midtvedt K, Pihlstrom HK, Horneland R, Lee S, Asberg A, Jenssen TG, Birkeland KI: Insulin secretion and action after pancreas transplantation. A retrospective single-center study. Scandinavian journal of clinical and laboratory investigation 2021:1-6.

Primary Investigator: Trond Jenssen, MD PhD, Professor of Medicine

Co-investigators/participants:  
Jørn Petter Lindahl, MD PhD, Consultant
Espen Nordheim, MD PhD, Associate professor
Anders Aasberg, PhD, Professor of Pharmacy
Kåre I. Birkeland, MD PhD, Professor