Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Degree

Master of Science

Program

Epidemiology and Biostatistics

Supervisor

Dr Mark Speechley

Abstract

Our objective was to determine the risk factors for BK virus infection in renal allograft recipients in the first year after transplantation. In this cohort, we included all patients who received renal allograft at London Health Sciences Centre (LHSC) between 2012 and 2014. We continued post-transplantation follow-up for one year. Of 175 patients (37% female) with median age (range) of 53 (14-82) years, 40 (22.9%) developed BK viremia (median interval:100 days, range: 35-264). Recipient age, recipient gender, hemodialysis (HD) vs peritoneal dialysis (PD), Human Leukocyte Antigens A1, B35 and Cw4 increased the risk of post-transplant BKV infection. However, donor gender, donor age, deceased vs living donor, delayed graft function, ABO incompatibility and retransplantation did not increase the risk. PD and HD patients do not appear to have equal risks at the time of transplantation. Further studies are required to determine the immunologic reasons for this difference.

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