Male Gender and Body Mass Index Are Associated With Hypertension and Reduced Kidney Function 5 or More Years After Living Kidney Donation

Background: The objective of this study was to evaluate renal function and to explore the relationship between some risk factors in kidney donors 12.37 ± 7.60 years after donation.

Patients and methods: In a cross-sectional study conducted in a transplant unit, 77 nephrectomized subjects were assessed ≥5 years after donation to evaluate their renal function and the presence or absence of hypertension, dyslipidemia, and microalbuminuria.

Results: Twenty donors had an estimated glomerular filtration rate of <60 mL/min/1.73 m(2). Nine donors showed urinary albumin excretion of >20 μg/min (11.68%). Subjects with an EGFR of <60 mL/min were predominantly male and hypertensive and showed higher body mass index (BMI), higher uric acid, higher total cholesterol/high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (TC/HDL-C), and logarithm of triglycerides/HDL-C (log TG/HDL-C) ratios than donors with an EGFR of >60 mL/min. Hypertensive donors were older and had higher BMI, higher UA serum values, higher TC/HDL-C and log TG/HDL-C ratios and microalbuminuria than nonhypertensive donors (P < .005). A multivariate analysis was conducted and, after final adjustment, a filtration rate of <60 mL/min was 3.05 times higher in men than women, increased 10% for each 1-unit increase in BMI and was positively associated with log (TG/HDL-C). The frequency of hypertension increased by 10% for each 1-unit increase in BMI and was positively associated with microalbuminuria.

Conclusion: In this sample of kidney donors from a single transplant unit, ≥5 years after donation, male sex and high BMI were positively associated with the presence of kidney failure.