Liver transplantation eliminates insulin needs of a diabetic patient

Organ transplantation and subsequent therapeutic agents may induce or worse n preexisting diabetes mellitus. We report the case of a diabetic patient w hose insulin needs disappeared after liver transplantation. Non insulin-dep endent diabetes mellitus was diagnosed when she was 47, and was treated by hypoglycemic drugs and then insulin. Chronic post-hepatitis C cirrhosis was diagnosed at the age of 55 and required liver transplantation 2 years late r. During the postoperative course, the insulin doses required to maintain normal glucose levels progressively decreased, and insulin became completel y unnecessary by the 29(th) postoperative day. After insulin was stopped, g lucose levels remained within normal ranges for the 5-year-long follow-up, despite the worsening of a preexisting diabetic nephropathy and the occurre nce of a diabetic retinopathy. This case highlights the fa ct that liver tr ansplantation may eliminate insulin needs in a diabetic patient but also sh ows that degenerative complications may occur despite apparent remission of diabetes.