During the past 7 years, recipient sex had no apparent effect on transplant survival. 2. Recipients of female cadaver donor regrafts had an 8-12% lower graft survival rates at 1 year than recipients of male donor kidneys. Graft survival was poorer in both first and second transplants when the female donor was aged 31-50. 3. When graft function was delayed, 1-year graft survival was 6% lower for recipients of first transplants when the donor was female and 12% lower for retransplanted recipients of female donor grafts. 4. The striking effect of donor sex on regraft survival may be a transitory product of the "learning curve" for CsA. The difference between 1-year graft survival of male and female donor retransplants was 14% in 1984, 7% in 1985, and 5% in 1986.
