An analysis of long-term survival from the OPTN/UNOS Pancreas Transplant Registry

Based upon data reported to the OPTN/ UNOS Pancreas Transplant Registry from October 1987- November 2007, overall deceased donor pancreas graft survival rates at 10 years improved from 43% for transplants prior to 1990 to 48% for transplants between 1995-1999. Overall graft survival rates have not improved substantially since 2000. The major causes of pancreas graft failure were technical (40%) and acute rejection (15%) during the early posttransplant period, and chronic rejection (25%) of grafts that survived more than 6 months. Pancreas graft survival rates were better for recipients of SPK grafts (83%, 69%, 51% and 33% at one, 5 10 and 15 years, respectively) than for PTA recipients (74%, 45%, 24% and 13% at the same intervals) or PAK recipients (78%, 54%, 28% and 9% at one, 5, 10 and 15 years, respectively).