Background: Urinary tract infections (UTIs) are a common complication after kidney transplantation. The aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of pre-existing diabetes mellitus and post-transplant diabetes mellitus (PTDM) on the occurrence of pyelonephritis in kidney transplant recipients. Methods: We performed a retrospective analysis which included 299 adult patients transplanted with a kidney between 2018 and 2022. Patients were categorized into pre-transplantation diabetics, PTDM, and non-diabetics. Asymptomatic bacteriuria and lower urinary infections were not included. Results: During a median follow-up time of 31 [17-45] months, 100 UTIs were reported in the total cohort, with a mean time from transplantation to the first UTI episode of 10 ± 11 months. At 48 months, the cumulative incidence of UTIs was 34.9%, 56%, and 47.3% for patients without prior diabetes, pre-transplant diabetes, and PTDM, respectively. Pre-transplant diabetes was independently associated with 79% increased risk of UTIs (adjusted HR = 1.79, 95% CI = 1.14-2.81, p = 0.011). The risk associated with female gender increased to 85%. Patient survival was not significantly affected by the interaction between diabetes and UTI occurrence. Conclusions: Pre-transplant diabetes arises as a significant risk factor for UTIs after kidney transplantation.
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