Endocrine Abstracts

Background: Islet transplant into the liver is a therapy for type 1 diabetes patients experiencing severe hypoglycaemia or impaired hypoglycaemic awareness. Widespread use is not currently considered due to the requirement for immunosuppression for the lifetime of the graft, and the attrition in graft function over the following 1-5 years. Following transplant into the liver, inflammation results in >60% islet loss, with few patients achieving insulin independence. The liv...