More than half of kidney transplant recipients live for more than 3 years, and they return to work, school, and home responsibilities. The addition of a pancreas transplant to a kidney transplant provides a marvelous chance for people with type I diabetes to achieve a cure for both uremia and diabetes. Because the problem in type II diabetes is not too little insulin, a pancreas transplant is not likely to be of benefit. About 8 percent of people with type I diabetes whose kidneys fail opt for a kidney transplant. Future Therapies Controlling blood glucose is one way we know to slow or prevent complications.
Researchers continue to search for other ways.
We know that the kidney and other organs are changed chemically in diabetes. Researchers are seeking ways to attack the problem of complications with a chemical approach that does not rely solely on control of blood glucose levels.