2608 Teduglutide Therapy for a Patient With Chronic Intestinal Failure Following Multi-Visceral Transplantation

Abstract

INTRODUCTION: The use of glucagon-like peptide-2 (GLP-2) agonists, such as Teduglutide, and recombinant human growth hormones (HGH), remain important for making advances in Short Bowel Syndrome and intestinal failure to reduce parenteral nutrition requirements. The efficacy of these agents have yet to be studied in the intestinal transplant population who experience decreased absorption with no evidence of acute rejection. We present a case of Teduglutide therapy for chronic intestinal failure following a multi-visceral transplant including stomach, pancreas and small bowel. CASE DESCRIPTION/METHODS: A 47-year-old Caucasian female presented with a history of corrected, congenital duodenal atresia, complicated by recurrent obstructions, requiring a Whipple procedure with bowel to bowel bypass and anastomosis. She developed short bowel syndrome and began to lose weight. She was placed on long-term total parenteral nutrition (TPN), with consequent hospital admissions for fungemia. She underwent a multi-visceral transplant including stomach, pancreas, and small intestine and placed on immunosuppressive therapy. Years later, she developed ongoing, severe watery diarrhea with recurrent need for TPN. She was placed on Pancrelipase and lipids, without any improvement. Intestinal biopsies repeatedly showed no signs of acute rejection or cytomegalovirus (CMV). Loperamide and Diphenoxylate were also trialed. Given a lack of progress, she was placed on Teduglutide. The patient experienced significant symptomatic improvement after 10 days of therapy. She was able to decrease her intravenous fluids (IVF) needs by 50%. After one month she again experienced worsening symptoms. She was placed on Linaclotide in addition to Teduglutide with the need to maximize TPN requirements. Repeat intestinal biopsies did not show evidence of infection or acute rejection. Teduglutide was discontinued after 10 months as it did not improve symptoms. DISCUSSION: Intestinal absorption can remain an issue in short bowel syndrome until transplant can be achieved. It remains problematic when multi-visceral transplant is performed and patients continue to experience malabsorption. Unfortunately, although our patient had a good initial response, this response did not persist and therefore therapy was discontinued. Research is ongoing to discover pharmacologic treatment options that significantly decrease the necessity of TPN and IVF. HGH and GLP-2 agonists are options at this time, however remain in question if they are effective long term.