DIET AFTER PANCREAS TRANSPLANTATION

OBJECTIVE - To determine whether discontinuation oi insulin therapy an d glucose monitoring and instructions to increase dietary salt and wat er intake after pancreas transplantation (PTX) resulted in changes in food choices. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS - All PTX recipients who had completed a preoperative diet record, had received their PTX >6 month s before, had stable pancreas and kidney function, and were on a stabl e diet were invited to submit a 3-day post-PTX diet record. Of the 14 eligible, 11 agreed to participate and completed the study (2 women an d 9 men). Their pre- and post-PTX diet records were analyzed by comput er program. Weight, glycohemoglobin, blood pressure, medications, and lasting lipids both before and after PTX were also analyzed. RESULTS - The recipients were studied 576 +/- 60 days post-PTX, on average. Tot al calories and BMI were unchanged after PTX. Before PTX, 34% of calor ies were in fats, 49% in carbohydrate, and 17% in protein with no chan ge in distribution oi calories after PTX, although there was a trend c oward greater saturated fat intake. Total salt intake was increased af ter PTX (P < 0.01) because of sodium bicarbonate administration, altho ugh dietary salt intake did not change. The HDL cholesterol concentrat ion increased and cholesterol-to-HDL ratio decreased after PTX (P < 0. 05), while the remaining lipids were unchanged. CONCLUSION - Weight, t otal calories and distribution of calories, and dietary salt were unch anged after PTX, and diet did not explain the changes in HDL cholester ol or cholesterol-to-HDL ratio. These preliminary diet results suggest that greater emphasis on dietary instruction may be needed after PTX.