Impact of menopausal status on kidney adaptation after unilateral nephrectomy for kidney donation in women

Introduction Although living kidney donation is not a high-risk surgery, there is still a need to identify situations at risk of kidney disease after uninephrectomy. Estrogens exhibit a protective role against various nephropathies. The aim of this study was to assess renal adaptation following nephrectomy according to menopausal status in women. Methods A prospective bicentric study including living women donors measured glomerular filtration rate (GFR) (inulin or Cr51--EDTA clearances) and kidney volume (using CT-scan and 3-dimensional reconstruction), before and after 1-year post-uninephrectomy. Renal adaptation was compared according to menopausal status. Results Sixteen non-menopausal women and 18 menopausal women were included. One year following uninephrectomy, the mean decrease in GFR (global population) was - 32 +/- 12 ml/min/1.73 m(2), and the mean increase in remnant kidney volume was + 32 +/- 13 cm(3)/1.73 m(2). No significant difference was observed between the two groups for both the decrease in GFR (-32.9 +/- 13.3 in non-menopausal vs - 31.5 +/- 9.9 in menopausal, ml/min/1.73 m(2), p = 0.84), and the increase in kidney volume (+ 36.1 +/- 13.4 in non-menopausal vs + 28.1 +/- 12.5 in menopausal, cm(3)/1.73 m(2), p = 0.09). Discussion Menopausal status did not influence kidney adaptation following uninephrectomy, and in this respect is not a potential limiting factor for living kidney donation. Graphic abstract