Evaluation of markers for renal graft dysfunction in patients with type 1 diabetes mellitus after kidney transplantation and simultaneous pancreas-kidney transplantation

Abstract

Aim. To study the markers of renal graft dysfunction in patients with type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) after kidney transplantation (KT) and simultaneous pancreas-kidney transplantation (SPKT). Subjects and methods. The investigation enrolled 20 patients after successful SPKT and 41 patients after KT (of them 21 received continuous subcutaneous insulin infusion with an insulin doser; 20 had multiple insulin injections). The periods after KT and SPKT at patient inclusion were 8 (7; 8) and 11 (8; 18) months, respectively. A control group comprised 15 patients with T1DM without diabetic nephropathy. The patients were matched for gender, age, and T1DM duration. At a 9-month follow-up, the main biomarkers of kidney graft dysfunction were identified using the standard kits: Cystatin C (Cys C; serum; urine), NGAL, KIM-1, Podocin, Nephrin, IL-18, MMP-9 (urine), TGF-β1, VEGF-A, and Osteopontin (OPN; serum). Fasting blood was taken; a morning urinary portion was examined. Results. The posttransplantation glomerular filtration rate (GFR) in the patients corresponded to Stage C2; albuminuria did to Category A1 chronic kidney disease. Despite successful SPKT in the group of patients with T1DM, as in that of patients after isolated KT, there was a statistically significant increase in the level of kidney dysfunction markers (Cys C, NGAL, Podocin, and OPN) versus the control group regardless of the compensation for glucose metabolism. compensation. It was found that the level of Cys C was high and correlated negatively with GFR (r=–0.36; p