Outcomes of dialysis and the transplantation options for patients with diabetic end-stage renal disease in Korea.

BACKGROUND: The best therapeutic option for diabetic end-stage renal disease (DMESRD) has not been established among living donor kidney transplantation (LDKT), deceased donor kidney transplantation (DDKT), simultaneous pancreas and kidney transplantation (SPK), and dialysis.

METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed the outcomes of DMESRD patients at two Korean centers from February 2000 to December 2011.

RESULTS: Among 674 patients, 295 underwent kidney transplantation (LDKT, 175; DDKT, 72; and SPK, 48), while 379 were still on dialysis. The dialysis group had a higher mortality rate than the transplantation group. From the time after dialysis initiation, LDKT group had a better patient survival rate than DDKT registration group and SPK registration group. From the time after transplantation, LDKT had a better patient survival rate than DDKT; however, there was no significant difference between LDKT and SPK. In SPK, patient survival and kidney or pancreas graft survival rates were not different between types 1 and 2 DMESRD.

CONCLUSION: LDKT is better than waiting for SPK/DDKT in DMESRD patients, if a living donor is available, and this conclusion may be unique to Korea where waiting time for SPK is long. SPK can be used in non-obese Asians with type 2 as well as type 1 DMESRD.