Background: Urinary tract infection (UTI) is the most common infection after renal transplantation (RTx). Although female sex is a well-known risk factor for the development of UTI after RTx, the role of the donor sex in this context remains unclear.
Methods: In this case control study 6,763 RTx cases were screened for UTI when presenting at our transplant outpatient clinics. 102 different RTx patients fulfilled the inclusion criteria and were compared to 102 controls. Data on renal function was prospectively followed for 12 months. Results were compared to a previous RTx cohort from our transplant center. Additionally, we assessed the immunological response of leukocytes from 58 kidney recipients and 16 controls to lipopolysaccharide stimulation.
Result: After identification by univariate analysis, multivariate logistic regression analysis indicated female sex, minor height, advanced age and male kidney allograft sex to be associated with the occurrence of UTI after RTx. Female recipients who received male grafts had the best renal function 12 months after presentation. However, leukocyte response of recipients to lipopolysaccharide was impaired irrespective of donor and recipient sex to the same extend.
Conclusions: We conclude from our data that male kidney allografts are associated with the occurrence of UTI after RTx but did not influence the response of leukocytes to lipopolysaccharide. Further prospective studies are needed to identify the underlying mechanisms of higher male kidney donor dependent UTI.