Majority of children experience abnormal glucose metabolism after kidney transplant: Study

Salient findings of the study include:

• Interpretation of the OGTT test showed normal glucose tolerance (NGT) in 6 patients (28.6%) while 15 (71.4%) experienced impaired fasting glucose (IFG) and/or impaired glucose tolerance (IGT) at any time point of monitoring.
• Seven patients had NODAT, for which three needed insulin therapy.
• Hyperglycemia onset was 7.8 ± 13.12 weeks (median = 1 week) after KT.
• Percent of patients with abnormal OGTT was significantly more than that of IFG (38.1% vs. 71.4%).
• Patients with the abnormal glycemic state had significantly elevated trough tacrolimus levels at 6 months.
• Glucose readings did not correlate with steroid doses nor rejection episodes while positively correlating with tacrolimus doses at 3 months and 6 months, and negatively correlating with simultaneous GFR at 9 months.

The researchers conclude, "abnormal glycemic state was seen in up to two-thirds of pediatric KTRs (71.4%) at some point with peak incidence within the first week up to 6 months after KT."

Reference:

Salah, D.M., Hafez, M., Fadel, F.I. et al. Monitoring of blood glucose after pediatric kidney transplantation: a longitudinal cohort study. Pediatr Nephrol (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00467-022-05669-0