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102. Jahrestagung der DOG

Deutsche Ophthalmologische Gesellschaft e. V.

23. bis 26.09.2004, Berlin

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The course of diabetic retinopathy after pancreas transplantation

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  • corresponding author B. Breuer - Universitätsklinikum Leipzig, Klinik und Poliklinik für Augenheilkunde, Leipzig
  • C. Jochmann - Universitätsklinikum Leipzig, Klinik und Poliklinik für Augenheilkunde, Leipzig
  • H. Witzigmann - Chirurgische Klinik und Poliklinik 2, Leipzig
  • P. Meier - Universitätsklinikum Leipzig, Klinik und Poliklinik für Augenheilkunde, Leipzig
  • P. Wiedemann - Universitätsklinikum Leipzig, Klinik und Poliklinik für Augenheilkunde, Leipzig

Evidenzbasierte Medizin - Anspruch und Wirklichkeit. 102. Jahrestagung der Deutschen Ophthalmologischen Gesellschaft. Berlin, 23.-26.09.2004. Düsseldorf, Köln: German Medical Science; 2004. Doc04dogDO.03.15

The electronic version of this article is the complete one and can be found online at: http://www.egms.de/en/meetings/dog2004/04dog032.shtml

Published: September 22, 2004

© 2004 Breuer et al.
This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/3.0/deed.en). You are free: to Share – to copy, distribute and transmit the work, provided the original author and source are credited.

Outline

Text

Objective

Developed by Kelly, pancreas transplantation has been an option in treatment of diabetes mellitus type1 since 1966. The long term goal of pancreas transplantation is to restore normoglycemia in order to reverse or to stabilize diabetic microangiopathic complications. The course of diabetic retinopathy and visual acuitiy after pancreas transplantation is discussed controversially.

Methods

We evaluated 19 patients with diabetes mellitus type1 before and after a successful pancreas transplantation with a follow-up period of up to four years.

Results

After pancreas transplantation in three patients occured a drop in snellen acuity of at least three lines. Comparing pre-operative visual acuity with the best corrected post-operative acuity of the pre-operative better eye no significant statistical difference has been found. Out of 11 Patients with a follow-up period of at least two years, five patients developed neovascularizations in the first year after transplantation. Only one developed neovascularizations in a later time.

Conclusions

Even after successful pancreas transplantation without any need for exogenous insulin, patients developed neovascularization. They were found mostly in the first year after sudden normalization of metabolic control. Therefore, ophthalmological follow up in short intervals is recommended especially in the first year after transplantation.