Objective: The aims of this study were to determine 1) changes in lipids after solitary pancreas transplantation (SPTX) in patients with type 1 diabetes and 2) factors that influence those changes.
Research design and methods: Lipids were evaluated prospectively in 24 patients who underwent SPTX. Three were excluded because of early graft failure. The remaining patients (n = 21; 13 men, 8 women) were studied for changes in lipids over time (pre-SPTX, 0-2, 3-6, 7-12, and > 12 months). Glycohemoglobin, serum creatinine, BMI, and medications were also analyzed for their effects on lipid changes.
Results: Cholesterol, HDL, and LDL decreased in the immediate postoperative period (0-2 months), whereas triglycerides (TGs) increased (P < 0.05). At 3-6 months, cholesterol, HDL, and TG were higher than before the SPTX, whereas LDL returned to pre-SPTX levels. After 12 months, HDL and TG remained higher than their pre-SPTX levels (P < 0.05). During the study, systolic and diastolic blood pressure increased, renal function decreased, glyco-hemoglobin improved, and weight was unchanged. Changes in cholesterol/HDL ratio, HDL, and TG correlated with changes in prednisone dose (P < 0.05), and changes in TG correlated with changes in creatinine (P < 0.05). The same pattern of lipids occurred in patients prescribed or not prescribed hypolipidemic agents.
Conclusions: Lipids do not improve within the 1st year after SPTX, despite improved glycemic control and blood pressure control, and renal function is worse. These results are in contrast to those reported for combined kidney-pancreas transplantation, where lipids, blood pressure, and renal function improved immediately after transplant. Further studies are needed to determine whether lipids continue to change with time after SPTX. The impact of these changes after SPTX on overall cardiovascular risk is unknown.