Sex disparity in dialysis and kidney transplantation over 20 years in Korea

Abstract

Background: Sex disparity is prevalent in organ transplantations worldwide. This study aimed to understand sex disparities in dialysis and kidney transplantation in Korea over the last 20 years.Methods: Data for incident dialysis, waiting list registration, and donors and recipients were retrospectively collected between January 2000 and December 2020 from the Korean Society of Nephrology end-stage renal disease registry and the database of the Korean Network for Organ Sharing. Data regarding the proportion of females for dialysis, waiting list, and kidney transplantation donors or re-cipients were analyzed using linear regression analysis.Results: The average proportion of females on dialysis over the past 20 years was 40.5%. The proportion of females on dialysis was 42.8% in 2000, and decreased to 38.2% in 2020, showing a decreasing trend. The average proportion of women on the waiting list was 38.4%, which was lower than that for dialysis. The average proportion of female recipients in living donor kidney transplantation and female living donors were 40.1% and 53.2%, respectively. The overall proportion of female donors in living donor kidney trans-plantation showed an increasing trend. However, there was no change in the proportion of female recipients in living donor kidney transplantation.Conclusion: Sex disparities in organ transplantation exist, including an increasing trend of female donors in living donor kidney trans-plantation. Further studies are needed to identify the biological and socioeconomic factors involved to resolve these disparities.