Pancreas transplantation: report on United States results from United Network for Organ Sharing Registry with comparison to non-United States results from the International Registry.

From December 17, 1966 to December 31, 1990, 3,069 pancreas transplants worldwide (1,806 United States and 1,263 non-United States) were reported to the International Pancreas Transplant Registry, including 606 in 1990. The 2,871 pancreas transplants in the Registry data base as of October 31, 1990 were analyzed. Results worldwide improved in each of 5 successive eras. The recipient and pancreas graft functional survival rates at 1 year for all 1988 to 1990 cases (n = 1,415) were 91% and 68%, respectively. The effect of multiple variables on outcome was determined by analyzing the 2,037 cases in the International Registry data base since 1985. Worldwide, BD (n = 1,566) was used more frequently than DI (n = 327) or ED (n = 174) and was associated with a significantly higher (p less than 0.001) graft functional survival rate, at 1 year 65% versus 56% and 53%, respectively. Worldwide, SPK transplants (n = 1,644) were performed much more frequently than either PAK (n = 223), or PTA (n = 212). The pancreas graft functional survival rate was significantly higher (p less than 0.001) in the SPK than in the other 2 categories, at 1 year being 68% versus 45% and 37%, respectively. The kidney graft survival rate for all SPK cases at 1 year was 80%. Worldwide, a significant effect of HLA-DR matching was seen only in analysis of PTA, graft survival at 1 year being 54% in PTA recipients matched for 2 DR antigens (n = 13), 44% for 1 DR antigen (n = 63) and 29% for 0 DR antigens (n = 97) (p = 0,015 for 2 vs 0 DR). Worldwide, more than half of the pancreas grafts were preserved in UW solution (n = 1,111), and an increasing preservation length was not associated with a significant decrease in functional survival rates, at 1 year being 67%, 73%, 71%, and 60% for those stored less than 12 (n = 563), 12-24 (n = 416), 24-30 (n = 30), and greater than 30 (n = 5) hours. A separate analysis was performed on pancreas transplants in the United States reported to the UNOS Registry from its inception on October 1, 1987 to October 21, 1990 (n = 1,021). Almost all pancreas transplants in the United States during this period were by the BD technique (92%). The overall patient and pancreas graft survival rates were 92% and 72% at 1 year.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)