Concerns and hopes of patients with type 1 diabetes prior to islet cell transplantation: A content analysis.

ABSTRACT:

Aims

Islet cell transplantation can functionally cure type 1 diabetes complicated by hypoglycemia unawareness (HU), but requires immunosuppression. This study identified the lived experiences and risk/benefit considerations of patients pre-transplant.

Methods

Content analysis identified themes from four open-ended questions pre-transplant in an islet transplant clinical trial. The sample included 23 (19 female) patients, with a mean age = 48.3 and diabetes duration = 29.3 years.

Results

Lack of control due to diabetes and HU was the overarching theme pre-transplant. Four sub-themes were also identified: fear of hypoglycemia, diabetes-related complications, hopes/expectations after transplant, and transplant outcomes. Patients expressed fear of HU and long-term complic

SUBMITTER: Luu QF 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6015784 | biostudies-literature | 2018 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature