Lack of Improvement in Insulin Sensitivity after Pancreas Transplantation in Recipients with a High Level of Calcineurin Inhibitors

Objectives This study aimed to assess posttransplant changes in insulin sensitivity and β-cell function of pancreas transplant recipients according to the type of diabetes mellitus (DM) and the pretransplant insulin sensitivity measured by the Matsuda Index (MI). Methods We analyzed 60 patients who underwent pancreas transplantation and oral glucose tolerance test pretransplant and at 1 month posttransplant. Results At 1 month posttransplant, insulin sensitivity did not show significant improvement; particularly, the MI was significantly lower after transplant in recipients with type 1 DM (T1DM) and those with pretransplant MI of 5 or greater. β-cell function was significantly improved after transplant in all recipients regardless of the type of DM and pretransplant MI values. Glucose control was significantly improved in recipients with T1DM and in all recipients regardless of the pretransplant MI values. Additional oral glucose tolerance test at 1 year posttransplant revealed that insulin sensitivity remained unimproved and β-cell function was higher compared with pretransplant. Glucose control had partially reverted to pretransplant levels in recipients with T1DM and those with pretransplant MI of 5 or greater. Conclusions Unlike β-cell function and glucose control, insulin sensitivity did not significantly improve until posttransplant 1 year after pancreas transplantation regardless of the type of DM or the degree of pretransplant insulin sensitivity.