Factors affecting the frequency infection in renal transplant recipients.

A retrospective review of 149 patients receiving 162 renal transplants showed that 83% of these patients developed one or more infections during a follow-up period averaging one year. In 32 (73%) of 44 deaths, infection was an important contributing cause. In only four (9%) of the deaths were the patients free of infection at the time of death. The Klebsiella-Enterobacter group was the most common agent causing pneumonitis and sepsis. Cryptococcus neoformans caused seven of 11 cases of meningitis. Pseudomonas was the most frequent agent associated with infections documented during postmortem examinations. In a short-term controlled study comparing daily and alternate daily therapy with prednisone, the alternate daily group had significantly (P less than .05) more infections per patient, especially in patients who had no evidence of rejection (P less than .025).