COMPARISON BEFORE AND AFTER TRANSPLANTATION OF PANCREAS-KIDNEY AND PANCREAS-KIDNEY WITH LOSS OF PANCREAS - A PROSPECTIVE CONTROLLED QUALITY-OF-LIFE STUDY

The aim of combined pancreas-kidney transplantation (PKT) in type I di abetic patients with end-stage nephropathy is to restore both function s, Quality of life (QoL) is supposed to improve as a result of this co mbined transplantation. The objectives of this study are to evaluate Q oL before and after PKT and to compare the results with patients in wh om the pancreas graft failed soon after the transplantation (PKT-P), T he trial is a prospective controlled multicenter study, The control gr oup consists of patients before transplantation and patients who recei ved a PKT in whom the pancreas rejected or thrombosed soon after the t ransplantation (PKT-P), A standardized home-based interview is done du ring dialysis, and repeated 5, 12, and 18 months after transplantation in both groups by the same interviewer. The interview consisted of di sease-specific questions (RSCL), general questionnaires (NHP I and II, ABS), the Visual Analogue Scale, a specific questionnaire (Anxiety), and evaluative questions about social support and transplantation. Pat ients in whom the PKT is successful (n = 17) improve significantly or show a strong tendency toward improvement on many aspects of quality o f life. Patients in whom the pancreas failed (n = 5) still demonstrate improvement, although this is not statistically significant in most c ases, Intergroup comparison shows that PKT patients are less anxious, suffer of less itching, have better average daily living conditions, h ave no diet restrictions, and have and a better global quality of life .