A study on glucose metabolism in a small cohort of children and adolescents with kidney transplant

Abstract

Post-transplant diabetes mellitus (PTDM) and impaired glucose tolerance are now considered among the major adverse events following organ transplantation. The present study was aimed at investigating the regulation of glucose metabolism in pediatric recipients of a kidney transplant (KT), receiving tacrolimus or cyclosporine A-based immunosuppression. Twelve subjects, eight males and four females, aged 12.1+/-3.8 yr, and with a mean time from KT of 45.6 months were enrolled in the study. All patients had a basal evaluation of fasting glucose (GF), fasting insulin (IF), C-peptide and glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) levels. They then underwent oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT), with measurement of blood glucose and insulin concentration. Two children had impaired GF, associated with supernormal HbA1c levels, one patient showed impaired glucose tolerance, none had PTDM. Peripheral insulin resistance, as measured by quantitative insulin sensitivity check index (QUICKI) and homeostasis model assessment estimate of insulin sensitivity (HOMA-IR) index, was enhanced in 3 patients. Subsequently, GF significantly increased with time from transplant (p=0.01), while fasting C-peptide and the area under the curve of insulin correlated with creatinine clearance. In conclusion, our results, although generated in a small sample size, would suggest that long-term follow-up of children receiving a KT should extend to explore the response to oral glucose load and at least the basal measure of insulin response.