The impact of race on metabolic, graft, and patient outcomes after pancreas transplantation.

Abstract Background Racial disparities following pancreas transplantation (PTX) are poorly defined. Methods This was a large-scale, single-center, longitudinal cohort study including adult PTX recipients. Patients were grouped by race to allow for comparisons. Results 287 PTX recipients were included; 125 (43.5%) were African American (AA). At baseline, AAs had a significantly higher proportion of T2DM (19.4% vs. 5.7%, p = 0.001), were younger, and more likely to be female. AAs experienced significantly higher rates of pancreatic leaks and post-operative bleeding. PTX rejection was comparable, however, kidney rejection tended to be higher among AA SPKs. Long-term mean HgbA1C levels were significantly higher among AAs (6.9% vs. 6.3%, p = 0.039). Patient and graft survival was comparable between groups, but early patient survival tended to be lower in AAs. Conclusions This study demonstrated significant perioperative health disparities among AA PTX recipients, including poorer glycemic control and more early deaths, despite similar long-term patient and graft survival.