Obesity is Not Associated with Worse Outcomes for Type 2 Diabetic Simultaneous Pancreas-Kidney (SPK) Transplant Recipients
Pancreas T2D Subcommittee, UNOS, Richmond.
Meeting: 2018 American Transplant Congress
Abstract number: 372
Keywords: Allocation, Obesity, Outcome, Pancreas transplantation
Session Information
Session Name: Concurrent Session: Pancreas and Islet - 1
Session Type: Concurrent Session
Date: Monday, June 4, 2018
Session Time: 4:30pm-6:00pm
Presentation Time: 4:42pm-4:54pm
Location: Room 4C-3
BACKGROUND: Per current SPK allocation policy, Type 2 Diabetic (T2D) candidate waiting time is contingent on a body mass index (BMI, kg/m2) less than or equal to an arbitrary maximum allowable BMI. The aim of this study is to evaluate the impact of obesity on outcomes in T2D and Type 1 Diabetic (T1D) SPK recipients.
METHODS: Using United Network of Organ Sharing data from 2006-2017, pancreas and kidney graft survival were compared for diabetes type by BMI category.
RESULTS: Of the 6637 SPKs, 83 SPKs were in obese T2D and 734 in obese T1D.
| T1D (n=6015) | T2D (n=622) | p-value | |
| Age at transplant | 41.0 | 47.0 | <0.001 |
| Ethnicity: | <0.001 | ||
| African American | 1098 (18.3%) | 188 (30.2%) | |
| Asian/Other | 158 (2.63%) | 57 (9.16%) | |
| Caucasian | 4153 (69.0%) | 241 (38.7%) | |
| Hispanic | 606 (10.1%) | 136 (21.9%) | |
| Gender: | <0.001 | ||
| Female | 2312 (38.4%) | 167 (26.8%) | |
| Male | 3703 (61.6%) | 455 (73.2%) | |
| Recipient BMI: | <0.001 | ||
| BMI 18.5-25 | 3092 (51.4%) | 226 (36.3%) | |
| BMI 25-30 | 2189 (36.4%) | 313 (50.3%) | |
| BMI > 30 | 734 (12.2%) | 83 (13.3%) |
There were no significant differences for kidney graft survival between groups. 
There was worse pancreas graft survival for the T1D BMI>30 group when compared to the other T1D groups; all other comparisons were not significant. 
CONCLUSION: T2D SPK recipients with BMI>30 have similar outcomes to all other types of SPK recipients. The maximum allowable BMI may be an unwarranted limitation in access for obese T2D SPK recipients.
CITATION INFORMATION: Forbes R., Niederhaus S., Fox A., Fridell J., Abrams P., Olaitan O., Kandeel F., Urban R., Curry M., Odorico J. Obesity is Not Associated with Worse Outcomes for Type 2 Diabetic Simultaneous Pancreas-Kidney (SPK) Transplant Recipients Am J Transplant. 2017;17 (suppl 3).
To cite this abstract in AMA style:
Forbes R, Niederhaus S, Fox A, Fridell J, Abrams P, Olaitan O, Kandeel F, Urban R, Curry M, Odorico J. Obesity is Not Associated with Worse Outcomes for Type 2 Diabetic Simultaneous Pancreas-Kidney (SPK) Transplant Recipients [abstract]. https://atcmeetingabstracts.com/abstract/obesity-is-not-associated-with-worse-outcomes-for-type-2-diabetic-simultaneous-pancreas-kidney-spk-transplant-recipients/. Accessed May 16, 2025.« Back to 2018 American Transplant Congress