Post-Transplantation Diabetes Mellitus in Pediatric Patients

More than 80% of pediatric solid organ transplant (SOT) recipients now survive into young adulthood and many encounter transplant-related complications. Post-transplantation diabetes mellitus (PTDM), sometimes also referred to as post-transplant diabetes or new onset diabetes after transplant, occurs in 3–20% of pediatric SOT recipients depending upon the organ transplanted, age at transplantation, immunosuppressive regimen, family history, and time elapsed since transplant. To diagnose PTDM, hyperglycemia must persist beyond the initial hospitalization for transplantation when a patient is on stable doses of immunosuppressive medications. Though standard diagnostic criteria used by the American Diabetes Association (ADA) to diagnose diabetes are employed, clinicians need to be aware of the limitations of using these criteria in this unique patient population. Management of PTDM parallels strategies used for type 2 diabetes (T2D), while also carefully considering comorbidities and potential interactions with immunosuppressive medications in these patients. In caring for patients with PTDM, it is important to be familiar with these interactions and comorbidities in order to coordinate care with the transplant team and optimize outcomes for these patients.