Gender plays a role in kidney transplantation, study shows

A new study suggests that gender should be taken into consideration when it comes to allocating donor kidneys.

Analysis of data taken from almost 200,000 organ recipients around the world, found that women have an increased risk of rejecting a kidney from a male donor than a female donor due to the difference in size.

Professor Gerhard Opelz, medical director of the department of transplantation immunology at the Institute of Immunology of Heidelberg University Hospital, explained: "The higher rate of rejection is most likely caused by the gender-specific Y chromosome in men."

Immune functions associated with the Y chromosome which can lead to rejection of the kidney requires further investigation, according to kidney expert Connie L Davis from the University of Washington in Seattle, writing in the medical publication, the Lancet.

The National Kidney Foundation recently reported that research indicates the 26 million American adults with chronic kidney disease are at significantly higher risk of experiencing a heart attack or stroke.