The effect of experimental heterotopic pancreatic allotransplantation on the insulin response to oral glucose administration.

Oral glucose tolerance tests (OGTT) were performed in 6 healthly, unimmunosuppressed pigs before and after heterotopic pancreatic transplantation and total pancreatectomy. Mean survival time after grafting was 55 days. Mean basal concentrations of glucose and insulin in serum were significantly higher after grafting and total pancreatectomy (p less than 0.01), but the insulin-to-glucose ratio was unaffected. The tolerance to oral glucose decreased after grafting and total pancreatectomy (p less than 0.01), even though the insulin levels in serum during OGTT were higher tp less than 0.01). This finding was also reflected in the insulinogenic index, which was almost twice as large after transplantation (p less than 0.01) as before. The decreased oral glucose tolerance might be explained by drainage of the transplanted pancreas into the systemic circulation instead of the portal vein.