title: Influence of islet transportation on pancreatic islet allotransplantation in type 1 diabetic patients within the Swiss-French GRAGIL network.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The influence of islet transportation on pancreatic islet allotransplantation in type 1 diabetic patients was evaluated within the GRAGIL network.
  
  
  METHODS
  From December 2001 to April 2003, 16 human pancreatic islet transplants were performed in 9 type 1 diabetic patients with an established kidney graft (functioning for at least 6 months) in four centers of the GRAGIL network. Islet isolation was performed in a core laboratory in Geneva, and the islet preparations were shipped by ambulance to each center for transplantation. One month after transplantation, the efficiency of the graft was assessed according to islet transportation time (ITT): ITT less than 2 hours (group 1, n=5), and ITT greater than 4.5 hours (group 2, n=4, mediant 5 hours).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Primary graft dysfunction was observed in one patient in group 1 after one month. Two patients became insulin independent in groups 1 and 2. All other patients in both groups had a plasma C-peptide level greater than 0.5 ng/ml. The HbA1c level and the exogenous insulin needs decreased in both groups.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  ITT does not seem to influence the efficiency of pancreatic islet allotransplantation in type 1 diabetic patients. These results emphasize the scope for multicenter networks such as the GRAGIL group.
authors.affiliation: Department of Endocrinology, University Hospital, Strasbourg, France. laurence.kessler@medecine.u-strasbg.fr
authors.forename: Laurence
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Kessler
authors.forename: Pascal
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Bucher
authors.forename: Laure
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Milliat-Guittard
authors.forename: Pierre Yves
authors.initials: PY
authors.lastname: Benhamou
authors.forename: Thierry
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Berney
authors.forename: Alfred
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Penfornis
authors.forename: Lionel
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Badet
authors.forename: Charles
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Thivolet
authors.forename: Francois
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Bayle
authors.forename: Jose
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Oberholzer
authors.forename: Edith
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Renoult
authors.forename: Marcel Jean
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Brun
authors.forename: Gerard
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Rifle
authors.forename: Catherine
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Atlan
authors.forename: Cyrille
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Colin
authors.forename: Philippe
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Morel
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002096:C-Peptide / Q000097:blood; D003404:Creatinine / Q000097:blood; D003922:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 1 / Q000601:surgery*; D005260:Female; D005602:France; D006442:Glycated Hemoglobin / Q000378:metabolism; D006085:Graft Survival; D006801:Humans; D016381:Islets of Langerhans Transplantation / Q000379:methods* / Q000502:physiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D013557:Switzerland; D013997:Time Factors; D009927:Tissue and Organ Procurement / Q000379:methods*; D014186:Transportation
chemical_list: D002096:C-Peptide; D003404:Creatinine; D006442:Glycated Hemoglobin