New onset diabetes mellitus post-kidney transplantation

The study explores the prevalence of unrecognized diabetes mellitus (DM), the incidence and risk factors new onset diabetes mellitus (NODM) and determines whether patient survival differs between patients with transient (NODM that resolves) compared with those with fixed NODM. This is a single center review of solitary kidney recipients transplanted from 1993 to 2003. Of the 381 patients without DM pre-transplant, 111 met criteria for DM post. Of these 17 were unrecognized to have DM, 31 had transient (resolved) NODM and 64 had fixed NODM. In a multivariate analysis, age, body mass index, repeat transplant and rejection were risk factors for NODM. In a separate analysis of only fixed NODM, tacrolimus use showed a trend for an independent association (HR 1.7 95% CI 0.95-2.9). NODM patient survival was comparable to non-diabetic recipients even up to 10 yr; however, excess mortality started to be seen in the fixed NODM subgroup at late follow up. Use of more stringent DM criteria results in a population with relatively good intermediate term survival and allows detection and treatment of early disease. Transient NODM represents approximately one third of NODM and has a relatively good prognosis.