WIREDGOV

Two type 1 diabetes patients no longer require insulin injections, thanks to a UK-leading transplant programme based in Scotland

The Scottish National Pancreatic Islet Transplant Programme, launched in November 2009, has now carried out three islet cell infusions in two patients who as a result, no longer require insulin or risk the loss of consciousness due to hypoglycaemic attack. This has only occurred in a small number of patients in the UK.

The process involves the complex preparation of islets extracted from a deceased donor's pancreas at the Scottish National Blood Transfusion Service's Islet Isolation Laboratory in Liberton, Edinburgh. The resulting islet infusions are injected into patients at the Transplant Unit at the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh. This has been shown to be an effective treatment for some people with type 1 diabetes who have problems managing their blood sugar. As a result, they can collapse without warning when their blood sugar is low - hypoglycaemic unawareness. It is also useful for those who have already had kidney transplant.

Ms Sturgeon, who during UK Transplant Week today met the first patient to benefit from the Scottish programme, Kathleen Duncan, as well as key staff at the Liberton laboratory, said:

"In Scotland, around 28,000 people currently have type 1 diabetes, with an estimated 2,000 experiencing hypoglycaemic unawareness which can have life threatening implications. This service, funded to assess around 20 patients a year, of whom 10 to 12 would be suitable for islet transplantation - has shown how it has the potential to transform the lives of people with this condition. The ideal is to make them no longer dependent on insulin injections.

"Sadly, like all transplant programmes - the main challenge is the shortage of donor organs. That's why, during UK Transplant Week, I would repeat my calls for people to sign up to the NHS organ donor register so that more lives can be saved and turned around.

"I also want to praise the excellent work done by the staff here at the SNBTS Laboratory and the Transplant Unit at the Edinburgh Royal Infirmary, whose on-going close collaboration is central to the delivery of this leading programme and look forward to hearing of further successes in the future."

Kathleen Duncan, who has had type 1 diabetes for more than 30 years and had been injecting insulin up to four times a day, said:

"Before this treatment I felt absolutely helpless, as I had no awareness of my blood sugar levels or if I was about to collapse. It didn't just affect me, it has been years of worry for both my husband, Chris, and my son, David. I was so terrified that David would come home from school to find me unconscious that I would go out all day, knowing that if I collapsed in a public place, I would be taken to hospital.

"My life has totally changed since the transplants. I have more control over my diabetes, the confidence to do everyday things and can lead a practically normal life. Chris and David are now more relaxed and don't have to worry about me just so much. I have my awareness back and no longer have to rely on insulin - I can tell if I am going to collapse and do something about it. I feel extremely lucky that matching donors were found and privileged to be the first person to have this treatment."

Mr John Casey, Clinical Lead for the Scottish Islet Transplant Programme, said:

"This is an important step in the treatment of diabetes in Scotland. The improved quality of life for both patients is excellent and we hope we can now offer this form of cell therapy to many, many more Scottish patients."

Keith Thompson, National Director, SNBTS, said:

"Islet cells prepared in our facility have so far been able to help transform the lives of two patients. The development of Pancreatic Islet Transplantation is the first of what we hope will be a new generation of cellular therapies for the treatment of patients in Scotland."

The Scottish National Islet Transplant Programme was launched in November 2009. It is a national service, funded by the Scottish Government, at a cost of around £900,000 a year, and is commissioned by NHS National Services Division. The biggest element in those costs is the process of isolating the islets, which is very complex, labour-intensive and time-consuming and has to be undertaken in a completely sterile environment.

The process of extracting human islets takes place at the SNTBS' Islet Isolation Laboratory at Ellen's Glen Road, Liberton, while the transplants take place at the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh. A multidisciplinary team consisting of a diabetologist, transplant surgeon, radiologist, co-ordinator and dietician help to manage these patients and this complex treatment process.

The SNBTS laboratory is the only one in the UK specifically built and staffed to provide a clinical islet transplantation service, rather than being derived from a research laboratory and is now able to support the islet cell processing for Newcastle and possibly beyond.

The laboratory works very closely with the national service responsible for solid pancreas and combined kidney/pancreas transplantation at the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh. This enables patients to have a comprehensive assessment as to which of these three forms of transplantation, including islets, would be most beneficial.

To sign up to the organ donor register text 'save' to 61611 or call 0300 123 23 23