This is the second of a two-part study. The first part, a pilot study, assessed the FEC level after pancreas transplant to determine if FEC is high compared to that of the general population and see if particularly high levels correlate with post pancreas transplant weight gain. The pilot study demonstrated excessively high FEC relative to the general population/healthy individuals, and much higher than the upper limit of the assay. However, the study did not show correlation between weight gain and high post-transplant FEC. This is thought to be because majority of the subjects enrolled were years from their transplant and the high FEC and weight gain already occurred early post-transplant. The study showed that FEC level was particularly high early post-transplant and decreased gradually over the years. It also showed that most weight gain occurred between years
1 to 2 post-transplant; we therefore felt the pilot study might have missed the period when the high level of exocrine secretion contributed to the weight gain. The primary aim of this second part is to assess patients from pre-transplant period to post-transplant period and see if FEC early posttransplant correlates with weight gain, particularly during the period of post-transplant weight gain established from results of the pilot study. The relationship between obesity and the gut microbiome is still not well established. To understand the role of gut microbiome in pancreas transplant patients, we will assess gut microbiome and other gut factors that may help us determine if the weight gain is related to lifestyle changes or it is associated with pancreas transplant.
