Sex matching plays a role in outcome of kidney transplant

Abstract

Objectives: The effect of sex matching between donors and recipients was studied in 135 kidney transplant operations performed in our center between December 1998 and December 2007.

Materials and methods: Patients were divided into 4 groups: group 1 (63 patients, male donor-male recipient), group 2 (25 patients, male donor-female recipient), group 3 (37 patients, female donor-male recipient), and group 4 (10 patients, female donor-female recipient). Except for donor age, recipient body mass index and donor-recipient HLA AB-DR matching, recipient, and donor demographics, and the immunosuppression were comparable in all groups.

Results: Acute rejection and the need for antithymocyte globulin Fresenius rescue therapy were comparable between the 4 donor-recipient combinations. Excellent 1-year actuarial patient and graft survival, comparable hospital stay, and incidence of delayed graft and slow graft function were comparable between the 4 groups. One death occurred, each, in groups 1 and 2; posttransplant complications being comparable. While 1-year graft survival (death censored and uncensored) were comparable, 1-year graft function (serum creatinine) showed that the worst graft function was seen in group 3 (female-to-male). Significant differences between the 4 patient groups also were seen in pretransplant and posttransplant hemoglobin levels as well as in posttransplant arterial hypertension and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol blood levels. Other metabolic indices were generally comparable between the 4 patient groups.

Conclusions: These results revealed that sex mismatching (group 2, male donor to female recipient) had the best 1-year graft function but the same 1-year patient and graft survival.