title: Declining numbers of pancreas transplantations but significant improvements in outcome.
abstract: In the United States, over the past 8 years, the number of pancreas transplantations has steadily declined. This decline comes as a surprise, because patient and graft outcomes have substantially improved during the same period of time. Patient survival rates at 1 year in all 3 recipient categories are >96%; graft survival rates are 82%-89%. Changes in immunosuppressive therapy have had a positive impact on outcome, as have better pancreas donor and recipient selection criteria and refined post-transplantation patient care. Although different factors may have contributed to the declining pancreas transplantation numbers, a more effective process of publicly promoting and widely communicating the improved results of pancreas transplantation is warranted.
authors.affiliation: Mel and Enid College of Public Health, University of Arizona, Tuscon, Arizona. Electronic address: acgruess@email.arizona.edu.
authors.forename: A C
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Gruessner
authors.affiliation: Mel and Enid College of Public Health, University of Arizona, Tuscon, Arizona.
authors.forename: R W G
authors.initials: RW
authors.lastname: Gruessner
mesh_terms: D046148:Donor Selection; D006085:Graft Survival; D006801:Humans; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D016030:Kidney Transplantation / Q000706:statistics & numerical data / Q000639:trends; D016035:Pancreas Transplantation / Q000706:statistics & numerical data / Q000639:trends*; D018579:Patient Selection; D011182:Postoperative Care; D012042:Registries; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology
chemical_list: D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents