Pre Transplant Rapamycin Treatment in Islet Transplantation Alone

Pre-transplant rapamycin is administered for at least four weeks prior to the first islet infusion at the dose of 0.1 mg/kg (target trough levels: 8-10 ng/mL). During the pre-transplant rapamycin treatment rapamycin trough levels, renal and liver function, white blood cells count, total lymphocytes and lymphocytes subpopulations, hemoglobin, fibrinogen, cross-linked fibrin degradation products, C-reactive protein, exogenous insulin requirement every week for the first month, and monthly thereafter are measured. Induction and maintenance immunosuppressive regimen after each islet infusion is administered according to the Edmonton protocol (daclizumab, rapamycin, target trough levels: 12-15 ng/mL during the first 3 months and 10-12 ng/mL thereafter and tacrolimus 2 mg/day,target trough levels: 4-6 ng/mL). Islets are infused into the liver through the portal vein under local anesthesia Portography is performed before and after infusion. The islet function is evaluated measuring fasting C-pep, EIR, and HbA1c, immediately before the first islet infusion and subsequently every day for the first week, and then weekly for the first month ; every month after the last islet infusion for the first year and every 6 month thereafter.

Inclusion criteria

• type 1 diabetes
• ≥5 years of type 1 diabetes
• hypoglycaemia unawareness
• progression of chronic complications of diabetes despite intensive insulin regimen

Exclusion criteria

• overt kidney disease
• chronic liver disease
• hepatic haemangioma
• severe cardiomyopathy
• untreated coronary artery disease