Gender differences in a kidney transplant population

The purpose of this study was to compare female and male kidney transplant recipients. Of 1095 consecutive kidney transplants, 63.7% were to male recipients. Detailed demographic background data and follow-up data were used in the analysis. Female and male recipients were the same age, median 44, range 1-71 years. The male/female ratio was increased in all adult age groups, and most pronounced in the middle-aged. The proportions of first transplants and of preemptive transplants were not different, and 22.0% of men compared with 24.4% of women had living donors. Biopsy-verified chronic glomerulonephritis was found 2.4 times more often in men than in women, unknown diagnosis including non-biopsy-verified chronic glomerulonephritis 2.3 times, and adult dominant polycystic kidney disease 1.8 times. A larger proportion of men than women received antirejection treatment, 59.5% vs 49.5% (P = 0.002). Cumulative survival of patients or grafts was not different, but women greater than or equal to 50 years of age tended to have poorer 1-year graft survival than men, 69% vs 78% (P = 0.06). It is concluded that the increased proportion of men in our transplant programme is mainly due to their higher requirement of renal replacement therapy.