Risk factors for urinary tract infection in kidney transplantation from brain death donor and its role in graft function.

OBJECTIVES: Urinary tract infection (UTI) is the most common infection complication after kidney transplantation, and the reports of the incidence vary greatly among different centers. This study aims to explore the risk factors for UTI after kidney transplantation with the donation from brain death (DBD) and the impact on graft function, thus to provide theoretical basis for comprehensive prevention and treatment of UTI after kidney transplantation.

METHODS: The clinical and laboratory data of DBD kidney transplantation from January 2017 to December 2018 in Xiangya Hospital, Central South University were collected and retrospectively analyzed. Patients were assigned into an UTI group and a non-UTI group. The base line characteristics, post-transplant complications, and graft function were compared between the 2 groups. Multivariate logistic regression was used to analyze the risk factors for UTI.

RESULTS: A total of 212 DBD kidney transplant recipients were enrolled in this study. UTI occurred in 44 (20.75%) patients after transplantation. The female, the time of indwelling catheter, and postoperative urinary fistula were independent risk factors for UTI after DBD kidney transplantation. A total of 19 strains of gram-positive bacteria, 12 strains of gram-negative bacteria , and 10 strains of fungi were isolated from the urine of 44 UTI patients. The UTI after kidney transplantation significantly increased time of hospital stay ( P <0.001) and raised the cost for antibiotics ( P =0.004). The graft function was much worse in the UTI group compared with the non-UTI group ( P <0.001) at 3 months after transplantation. Twenty (45.45%) patients recurred UTI within one year after transplantation. Non-hemodialysis before transplantation and perioperative combination of antibacterial and antifungal drugs were independent risk factors for recurrence of UTI.

CONCLUSIONS: UTI after DBD kidney transplantation transplantation affects the renal function at 3 months and increases the patient's economic burden.