Diabetes mellitus (DM) is a prominent risk factor for malignant and non-malignant pancreatic diseases. Furthermore, the presence of DM predicts an unfavourable outcome in people with pancreatic cancer. This retrospective observational study investigated 370 patients who underwent pancreatic resection surgery for various indications (84.3% in malignant indication) in a single surgery centre in Graz, Austria. The preoperative and postoperative diabetes statuses were evaluated according to surgery method and disease entity and predictors for diabetes development after surgery, as well as outcomes (survival and cancer recurrence) according to diabetes status, were analysed. In the entire cohort, the postoperative diabetes (postopDM) incidence was 29%. PostopDM occurred significantly more frequently in malignoma patients than in those with benign diseases (31.3% vs. 16.7%; p = 0.040, OR = 2.28). In the malignoma population, BMI, longer surgery duration, and prolonged ICU and hospital stay were significant predictors of diabetes development. The 1- and 2-year follow-ups showed a significantly increased mortality of people with postopDM in comparison to people without diabetes (HR 1-year = 2.02, p = 0.014 and HR 2-years = 1.56, p = 0.034). Local cancer recurrence was not influenced by the diabetes status. Postoperative new-onset diabetes seems to be associated with higher mortality of patients with pancreatic malignoma undergoing pancreatobiliary surgery.
Keywords: diabetes type 3c; mortality; pancreatic cancer; pancreatobiliary surgery; pancreoprivic diabetes.