Effect of pretransplant hepatitis C virus on the development of new-onset diabetes mellitus after transplant in Egyptian living-donor renal allotransplant recipients at Mansoura Urology and Nephrology Center.

OBJECTIVES: New-onset diabetes mellitus after transplant is a common complication in renal allograft recipients. Recently, a high prevalence of diabetes mellitus has been reported in patients with chronic hepatitis C virus. The association between hepatitis C and diabetes mellitus is well demonstrated in the general population, but some controversy still exists. This work aimed to study the effect of pretransplant hepatitis C virus on the development of new-onset diabetes mellitus after transplant in Egyptian living-donor renal allotransplant recipients.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: This retrospective single center study included 913 kidney transplant recipients who were transplanted at Mansoura Urology and Nephrology Center between 2000 and 2010. The patients were divided into 4 groups according to their hepatitis C virus serology and diabetic status.

RESULTS: Pretransplant dialysis duration and number of blood transfusion units were statistically significant among both viremic and nonviremic groups. With respect to induction therapy, a highly statistical significance was observed between the 4 groups regarding presence and type of adjuvant therapy (P < .001). With respect to maintenance immunosuppression, high statistically significant results were observed regarding steroid and rapamycin between the 4 groups (P < .001) with lower significance regarding mycophenolate mofetil (P = .04) but no significance regarding azathioprine, cyclosporine, or tacrolimus therapy. Incidence of new-onset diabetes mellitus after transplant was statistically higher in the viremic than nonviremic group (P < .001).

CONCLUSIONS: There was a positive correlation between incidence of new-onset diabetes mellitus after transplant and positive pretransplant hepatitis C virus status.