Results of monitoring diabetic retinopathy in patients after simultaneous pancreas and kidney transplantation

BACKGROUND: Very few studies have focused on the state of the fundus and visual functions before and after simultaneous transplantation of the pancreas and kidney. In addition, the results and conclusions of authors on this topic are contradictory.

AIMS: To evaluate the ophthalmological status of patients with diabetic retinopathy before and after kidney and pancreas transplantation.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: The patients were divided into three groups: group 1 included patients on the transplant waiting list receiving hemodialysis, group 2 were kidney transplant recipients, and group 3 included patients who had undergone simultaneous pancreas and kidney transplantation. The ophthalmological status of patients was assessed through standard ophthalmic diagnostic methods and measurements of photosensitivity, central retinal thickness, choroid thickness, density perfusion of the superficial and deep retinal capillary plexus, choriocapillary layer, and deep choroidal layer in the foveal and parafoveal zones of the macular region.

RESULTS: The study involved 76 patients (152 eyes) (group 1, n=30 patients undergoing dialysis; group 2, n=24 kidney transplant recipients; group 3, n=22 kidney and pancreaticoduodenal post-transplant recipients). Signs of the active phase of the proliferative stage of diabetic retinopathy (group 1, 54.1%; group 2, 53.3%; and group 3, 25.9%, p <0.05) and diabetic macular edema (group 1, 26.4%; group 2, 31.8%; and group 3, 12.8%, p <0.05) were more common in groups 1 and 2 than in group 3. Moreover, group 3 needed laser therapy (group 1, 45.3%; group 2, 43.2%; and group 3, 20.5%, p <0.05) and antiangiogenic therapy to a lesser extent (group 1, 18.9%; group 2, 25.0%; and group 3, 5.1%, p <0.05) than patients undergoing dialysis and kidney recipients. The eyes of patients after simultaneous pancreas and kidney transplantation were characterized by the smallest retinal thickness, highest retinal and choroidal perfusion, and highest visual acuity and photosensitivity (p <0.05).

CONCLUSIONS: A surgical method for restoring euglycemia through transplantation of physiologically active pancreatic tissue favorably affects the morphological and histological state of the retina and retinal and choroidal hemoperfusion and reduces the frequency of the active phase of proliferative diabetic retinopathy and diabetic macular edema.