Objectives: Histidine-tryptophan-ketoglutarate and University of Wisconsin solutions are currently used for pancreas graft preservation. Our hypothesis was whether the use of histidine-tryptophan-ketoglutarate solution is associated with worse pancreas graft survival than University of Wisconsin solution, in general and after prolonged cold ischemic time of ≥12 hours.
Materials and methods: This retrospective study investigated the impact of static cold storage in histidine-tryptophan-ketoglutarate (n = 133) versus University of Wisconsin (n = 107) solution on outcomes of 240 pancreas transplant procedures. Patient and graft survival rates were compared after 1, 3, and 5 years in both groups. Serum lipase, amylase, and C-reactive protein levels and incidence of surgical complications were evaluated at postoperative week 1. A subgroup analysis of 96 grafts (52 with histidine-tryptophanketoglutarate/44 with University of Wisconsin) with pancreas graft cold ischemic time ≥12 hours was also performed.
Results: At mean follow-up of 75.2 ± 9.9 months, both groups demonstrated comparable short- and long-term patient survival. Overall, pancreas graft survival was slightly better in the histidine-tryptophan-ketoglutarate group (Kaplan-Meier analysis, log-rank P = .013). However, the subgroup analysis of grafts with cold ischemic time ≥12 hours showed slightly better pancreatic graft survival in the University of Wisconsin group, although not significantly (log-rank P = .95). Serum lipase and C-reactive protein levels at postoperative week 1 were higher in the histidinetryptophan-ketoglutarate group. Surgical complications were comparable. Multivariable Cox regression analysis identified neither solution as a risk factor affecting patient and graft survival.
Conclusions: Although a direct comparison between histidine-tryptophan-ketoglutarate and University of Wisconsin showed better pancreas graft survival with histidine-tryptophan-ketoglutarate, the multivariable analysis showed that the perfusion solution does not significantly influence patient and graft survival. However, in the analysis of transplants with cold ischemic time ≥12 hours, pancreas graft survival was slightly better in the University of Wisconsin group, although not significantly.