The outcomes of pancreatic transplantation from pediatric donors–A single institution experience

Objectives: The aim of this study was to compare the outcomes of pancreatic transplantation from pediatric donors younger than 15 years of age to the outcomes of pancreatic transplantation from adult donors. Methods: Sixty patients underwent pancreatic transplantation in our facility from August 2012 to June 2019. These patients were divided into two groups according to the age of the donor: Cases in which the donor was younger than 15 years of age were classified into the PD group (n = 7), while those in which the donor was older than 15 years of age were classified into the AD group (n = 53). The outcomes of pancreas transplantation were retrospectively compared between the two groups. Results: Pancreatic graft survival did not differ between the PD and AD groups. Furthermore, there were no differences in the HbA1c and serum creatinine levels at three months, with good values maintained in both groups. The results of oral glucose tolerance tests (OGTTs) revealed that the blood glucose concentration did not differ between the two groups. However, the serum insulin concentration at 30 min after 75 g glucose loading was significantly higher in the PD group. Conclusion: The outcomes of pancreatic transplantation from pediatric donors may be comparable to those of pancreatic transplantation from adult donors and the insulin secretion ability after transplantation may be better.