Evidence for impaired glucose effectiveness in cirrhotic patients after liver transplantation

New-onset diabetes after adult liver transplantation in the Korean Organ Transplantation Registry (KOTRY) study

BACKGROUND

New-onset diabetes after transplantation (NODAT) is a serious complication following liver transplantation (LT). The present study aimed to investigate the incidence of and risk factors for NODAT using the Korean Organ Transplantation Registry (KOTRY) database.

METHODS

Patients with history of pediatric transplantation (age ≤18 years), re-transplantation, multi-organ transplantation, or pre-existing diabetes mellitus were excluded. A total of 1,919 non-diabetic adult patients who underwent a primary LT between May 2014 and December 2017 were included. Risk factors were identified using Cox regression analysis.

RESULTS

NODAT occurred in 19.7% (n=377) of adult liver transplant recipients. Multivariate analysis showed steroid use, increased age, and high body mass index (BMI) in recipients, and implantation of a left-side liver graft was closely associated with NODAT in adult LT. In living donor liver transplant (LDLT) patients (n=1,473), open donor hepatectomy in the living donors, steroid use, small for size liver graft (graft to recipient weight ratio ≤0.8), increased age, and high BMI in the recipient were predictive factors for NODAT. The use of antimetabolite and basiliximab induction reduced the incidence of NODAT in adult LT and in adult LDLT.

CONCLUSIONS

Basiliximab induction, early steroid withdrawal, and antimetabolite therapy may prevent NODAT after adult LT. High BMI or advanced age in liver recipients, open donor hepatectomy in living donors, and small size liver graft can predict the occurrence of NODAT after adult LT or LDLT.

Risk factors for new-onset diabetes mellitus in adult liver transplant recipients, an analysis of the Organ Procurement and Transplant Network/United Network for Organ Sharing database

OBJECTIVE.: To analyze the risk factors for new-onset diabetes mellitus (NODM) in liver transplant recipients using the Organ Procurement and Transplant Network/United Network for Organ Sharing database. METHODS.: Among 20,172 primary liver recipients (age > or =18 years) transplanted between July 2004 and December 2008 in Organ Procurement and Transplant Network/United Network for Organ Sharing databases, 15,463 recipients without pretransplant diabetes were identified. Risk factors for NODM were examined using multivariate Cox regression analysis. RESULTS.: NODM was reported in 26.4% of recipients (median follow-up, 685 days). Independent predictors of NODM development included recipient age (> or = 50 vs. <50 years, hazard ratio [HR]=1.241), African American race (HR=1.147), body mass index (> or = 25 vs. <25, HR=1.186), hepatitis C (HR=1.155), recipient cirrhosis history (HR=1.107), donor age (> or = 60 vs. <60 year, HR=1.152), diabetic donor (HR=1.151), tacrolimus (tacrolimus vs. cyclosporine, HR=1.236), and steroid at discharge (HR=1.594). Living donor transplant (HR=0.628) and induction therapy (HR=0.816) were associated with a decreased risk of NODM. CONCLUSION.: The incidence of NODM was 26.4% in liver recipients with a median follow-up time of 685 days. Identified risk factors for NODM in liver transplantation were similar to that in kidney transplantation. Some of the identified factors are potentially modifiable, including obesity and the choice of immunosuppressive regimens.

Post-Transplantation Diabetes Mellitus

Post-transplantation diabetes mellitus (PTDM) is defined as sustained hyperglycemia developing in any patient without history of diabetes before transplantation, that meets the current diagnostic criteria by the American Diabetes Association or the World Health Organization. Several risk factors have been identified: age, nonwhite ethnicity, and glucocorticoid therapy for rejection and chronic immunosuppression with cyclosporine and especially tacrolimus. The pathophysiology of this condition resembles that of type 2 diabetes mellitus: pretransplantation end-stage liver/renal and heart disease are insulin-resistant states, and after transplantation, glucocorticoids induce further peripheral insulin insensitivity. The "second hit" appears to be an acquired (yet reversible) insulin secretion defect resulting from the calcineurin inhibitors cyclosporine and tacrolimus. An international panel of experts has recently published the proceeding of a Consensus Conference proposing strategies for the screening, prevention and management of PTDM. Future directions include pre- and post-transplantation glucose load testing for high-risk individuals and pharmacological agents to decrease insulin resistance and to preserve beta-cell function.