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World J Transplant. Jun 24, 2014; 4(2): 102-110
Published online Jun 24, 2014. doi: 10.5500/wjt.v4.i2.102
Published online Jun 24, 2014. doi: 10.5500/wjt.v4.i2.102
Transplant options for patients with type 2 diabetes and chronic kidney disease
Costas Fourtounas, Department of Internal Medicine-Nephrology, Patras University Hospital, 26500 Patras, Greece
Author contributions: Fourtounas C solely contributed to this paper.
Correspondence to: Costas Fourtounas MD, PhD, Associate Professor of Internal Medicine-Nephrology, Department of Internal Medicine-Nephrology, Patras University Hospital, Rio, Patras, 26500, Greece. cfourt@usa.net
Telephone: +30-69-44763781 Fax: +30-26-10999724
Received: November 28, 2013
Revised: March 20, 2014
Accepted: May 14, 2014
Published online: June 24, 2014
Processing time: 234 Days and 4.4 Hours
Revised: March 20, 2014
Accepted: May 14, 2014
Published online: June 24, 2014
Processing time: 234 Days and 4.4 Hours
Core Tip
Core tip: Kidney transplantation has been established as a first line treatment for patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and diabetic nephropathy, as it is accompanied with a significant survival advantage over dialysis. Pre-emptive living donor kidney transplantation should be the ultimate goal unless there are obvious contraindications and all patients should be referred for early evaluation by a transplant center. There is an ongoing debate about the exact role of simultaneous pancreas kidney transplantation. At the moment it should be offered only in well selected T2DM patients. Bariatric surgery may serve as a bridge for renal transplantation for severely obese T2DM patients with chronic kidney disease.