Tacrolimus and sirolimus cause insulin resistance in normal sprague dawley rats.

Background: Tacrolimus-sirolimus immunosuppression has improved islet graft survival but may affect islet function.

Methods: We studied the effects of tacrolimus, sirolimus, or both in normal adult male Sprague Dawley rats. Glucose and insulin response to oral glucose load and pancreas pathology were evaluated after two weeks of daily tacrolimus (1-8 mg/kg/day), sirolimus (0.

Heel ultrasonography is not a good screening tool for bone loss after kidney and pancreas transplantation.

Background: Solid organ transplant recipients, particularly simultaneous pancreas kidney recipients, are at high fracture risk. We tested whether quantitative ultrasonography (QUS) of the heel predicts bone mineral density (BMD) by dual energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) in solid organ transplant recipients.

Methods: Thirty-eight transplant recipients (22 Female/16 Male) were studied.

Pancreas transplantation improves vascular disease in patients with type 1 diabetes.

Objective: Pancreas transplantation (PTX) normalizes glucose and improves microvascular complications, but its impact on macrovascular disease is still debated.

Research Design And Methods: Carotid intima-media thickness (IMT), shown to correlate with cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk and events, was determined prospectively by ultrasonography in successful pancreas transplant recipients to evaluate the effect of PTX on CVD risk. Carotid IMT and CVD risk factors of pancreas transplant recipients (n = 25) were compared with three groups: individuals with type 1 diabetes without significant nephropathy (n = 20), nondiabetic kidney transplant recipients (n = 16), and normal control subjects (n = 32).

Apolipoprotein E gene polymorphism alters lipids before pancreas transplantation.

Background: Pancreas transplantation (PTX) improves lipids in patients with type 1 diabetes mellitus. However, there are patients who have persistent abnormal lipids or develop new hyperlipidemia despite PTX. One factor that may influence the lipid profile is apolipoprotein E (Apo E) genotype.

Carotid intima media thickness decreases after pancreas transplantation.

Background: Pancreas transplantation (PTX) improves diabetic microvascular complications, but it is unknown whether PTX alters macrovascular disease. Carotid intima media thickness (IMT) has been shown to correlate with cardiovascular events, so this study was designed to evaluate changes in carotid IMT after PTX.

Methods: Four groups were studied: PTX candidates (n=60); successful PTX recipients (n=89; mean time since PTX=4.