Type 1 diabetic patients have better endothelial function after simultaneous pancreas-kidney transplantation than after kidney transplantation with continued insulin therapy.

The purpose of this study was to analyse the influence of simultaneous pancreas-kidney or kidney transplantation on endothelial function and systemic inflammation in type 1 diabetic patients with end-stage renal disease. In 39 simultaneous pancreas-kidney, 39 type 1 diabetic kidney and 52 non-diabetic kidney recipients, flow-mediated dilatation was measured. Additionally, blood glycated haemoglobin, serum creatinine and lipids, plasma nitrites [Formula: see text] and nitrates, asymmetric dimethylarginine, soluble vascular cell adhesion molecule-1, intercellular adhesion molecule-1, and E-selectin, high-sensitivity C-reactive protein, tumour necrosis factor-α, interleukin 1ß and interleukin 6 concentrations were assessed. During 58 ± 31 months follow-up period, flow-mediated dilatation and [Formula: see text] were greater in simultaneous pancreas-kidney than in type 1 diabetic kidney recipients [10.4% ± 4.7% vs 7.7% ± 4.2%, p < 0.05 and 0.94 (0.74-1.34) vs 0.24 (0.20-0.43) µmol/L, p < 0.01, respectively]. In type 1 diabetic patients after simultaneous pancreas-kidney or kidney transplantation, [Formula: see text] correlated with flow-mediated dilatation (r = 0.306, p < 0.05) and with blood glycated haemoglobin (r = -0.570, p < 0.001). The difference in [Formula: see text] was linked to blood glycated haemoglobin and estimated glomerular filtration rate, whereas the difference in flow-mediated dilatation was linked to [Formula: see text]. The levels of inflammatory markers (except soluble vascular cell adhesion molecule-1) were similar in simultaneous pancreas-kidney and type 1 diabetic kidney recipients. Improved endothelial function in type 1 diabetic patients with end-stage renal disease after simultaneous pancreas-kidney compared to kidney transplantation is associated with normalisation of glucose metabolism but not with improvement in plasma pro-inflammatory cytokines.