Donor risk factors in pancreas transplantation

Abstract

The aim of the work was to analyze and expose the donor and recipient risk factors in pancreas transplantation. In the following paper, we exposed the 2018 Spanish Consensus Document on Donor and Recipient Selection Criteria for Pancreas Transplantation. An assessment of the previous Selection Criteria for Donors and Recipients of Pancreas Transplantation, published in 2005 by the Spanish Pancreas Transplant Group (GETP) and the National Transplant Organization (ONT) was performed. A literature review was performed using Cochrane Library, PubMed and Google Scholar databases. Some of the following terms were used for the literature search: “Diabetes Mellitus,” “Pancreas Transplantation,” “Insulin-Secreting Cells,” “Pancreas Allograft Thrombosis,” “Allograft Pancreatitis,” “Donors’ Risk Factors,” “Recipients’ Risk Factors,” “Pancreas Allograft Rejection” and “Pancreas Allograft Survival.” After an extended search, different inclusion criteria were established. Articles and documents with abstracts of full text and in English or Spanish language were selected. Subsequently, different scientific meetings took place during 2015 and 2016 by the GETP. Finally, the updated criteria were published by the GETP and ONT in 2018. Several risk factors have been described in pancreas transplantation that can be divided into donor risk factors: Advanced age (> 50 years); high body mass index (BMI) (> 30 kg/m²); cause of death (e.g., stroke); previous hyperglycemia; hyperamylasemia; cold ischemia time (greater than 8 or 12 h, depending on the type of donation); the use of vasopressors in the intensive care unit or cardiac arrest; and the macroscopic aspect of the pancreas allograft. The following are recipient risk factors: Advanced age (> 50 years); active smoking; high BMI (> 30 kg/m²); and peripheral artery disease or sensorimotor polyneuropathy. Based on the aforementioned parameters, different selection criteria have been established for the recipients depending on the type of pancreas transplantation. Knowledge of the risk factors for pancreas transplantation allows the establishment of reliable selection criteria for choosing donors and recipients.

Keywords: Pancreas transplantation, Pancreas donor, Pancreas recipient, Diabetes mellitus, Risk factors, Graft rejection

Core Tip: Pancreas transplantation remains the only treatment to restore euglycemia and hemoglobin A1c levels in diabetic patients. However, it presents high morbidity due to different postoperative complications and the effects of the immunosuppressive therapies. The pancreas transplantation complications occur more frequently in specific cases related to donor factors (high body mass index, older age, etc.). Several studies analyzed the donor and recipient risk factors. Knowing these risk factors allows us to establish specific selection criteria in pancreas transplantation and may improve its results.