Endocrine Abstracts

Vascularized whole pancreas transplantation is currently the only therapeutic approach consistently able to restore euglycemia in patients with type 1 diabetes. More than two-thirds of all pancreas transplants are performed simultaneously with the kidney (SPK: simultaneous pancreas kidney) in patients with end-stage diabetic nephropathy. The results of SPK transplantation are excellent with rates of insulin-independence >80% at 1 year and >70% at 5 years. Venous thromb...

In patients with longstanding type 1 diabetes β-cell regeneration or β-cell replacement are the only options that result in normoglycemia without the risk of hypoglycemia. Although persistent C-peptide is present in ~10% of patients with type 1 diabetes, currently regeneration of eutopic pancreatic islets remains elusive due to the minimal regenerative capacity of the human pancreas and the presence of persistent autoreactivity. Islet transplantation is a form of &#9...

Cell therapy is an emerging, realistic treatment for diabetes. First we will quickly review alternative stem cell approaches including autologous Hematopoetic stem cells (CEB Couri JAMA 2009) and allogeneic Mesenchymal stem cells (Prochymal, Osiris Therapeutics, Inc.: Clinicaltrials.gov NCT00690066) as an attempt to cure recent onset type 1 diabetes, before focusing on β cell replacement therapies including an update on composite islet grafts (islets plus stem cells), or ...