TABLE 1.
Baseline characteristics of the RTR population overall and according to sex-specific tertiles of UPFs
| Sex-specific tertiles | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| UPFs | Overall RTRs (n = 632) | T1 (n = 210) | T2 (n = 211) | T3 (n = 211) | P value |
| Background variables | |||||
| Age, y | 53.0 ± 12.7 | 57.4 ± 10.1 | 54.7 ± 11.3 | 46.9 ± 14.0 | <0.001 |
| Male gender | 357 (57) | ||||
| Current smokers | 76 (12.0) | 27 (12.9) | 20 (9.5) | 29 (13.7) | 0.32 |
| Physical activity score (time × intensity) | 5230 [2423–8029] | 4920 [2040–7545] | 5760 [2760–8580] | 4940 [1800–7380] | 0.09 |
| Weight, kg | 80.3 ± 16.5 | 78.7 ± 15.4 | 80.6 ± 16.4 | 81.6 ± 17.5 | 0.20 |
| BMI, kg/m2 | 26.6 ± 4.8 | 26.2 ± 4.3 | 26.8 ± 4.8 | 26.9 ± 5.1 | 0.20 |
| eGFR, mL · min−1 · 1.73 m−2 | 52.5 ± 20.1 | 52.9 ± 19.8 | 49.2 ± 17.5 | 55.3 ± 22.4 | 0.007 |
| Circulation | |||||
| Heart rate, bpm | 68.7 ± 12.1 | 68.9 ± 13.1 | 67.7 ± 11.0 | 69.7 ± 12.0 | 0.24 |
| SBP, mm Hg | 136.2 ± 17.3 | 135.1 ± 18.5 | 137.6 ± 15.9 | 135.8 ± 17.5 | 0.32 |
| DBP, mm Hg | 82.9 ± 11.0 | 81.4 ± 10.5 | 83.5 ± 10.7 | 83.8 ± 11.6 | 0.05 |
| MAP, mm Hg | 100.7 ± 12.0 | 99.3 ± 12.2 | 101.6 ± 11.2 | 101.2 ± 12.7 | 0.12 |
| Laboratory parameters | |||||
| Triglycerides, mmol/L | 1.7 [1.2–2.3] | 1.7 [1.3–2.4] | 1.7 [1.3–2.2] | 1.7 [1.2–2.3] | 0.88 |
| Total cholesterol, mmol/L | 5.1 ± 1.1 | 5.2 ± 1.1 | 5.1 ± 1.1 | 5.1 ± 1.2 | 0.66 |
| HDL cholesterol, mmol/L | 1.4 ± 0.5 | 1.5 ± 0.5 | 1.4 ± 0.4 | 1.3 ± 0.5 | 0.04 |
| LDL cholesterol, mmol/L | 3.0 ± 0.9 | 3.0 ± 0.9 | 3.0 ± 0.9 | 3.0 ± 1.0 | 0.98 |
| Potassium, mmol/L | 4.0 ± 0.5 | 4.0 ± 0.4 | 4.0 ± 0.5 | 4.0 ± 0.5 | 0.47 |
| Phosphate, mmol/L | 1.0 ± 0.2 | 1.0 ± 0.2 | 1.0 ± 0.2 | 1.0 ± 0.2 | 0.54 |
| C-reactive protein, mg/dL | 1.6 [0.7–4.5] | 1.6 [0.7–3.9] | 1.6 [0.7–4.7] | 1.6 [0.6–5.1] | 0.92 |
| Fasting glucose, mmol/L | 5.3 [4.8–6.0] | 5.3 [4.7–6.2] | 5.2 [4.8–6.0] | 5.2 [4.8–5.9] | 0.73 |
| HbA1c, % | 6.0 ± 0.8 | 6.0 ± 0.8 | 6.0 ± 0.9 | 5.9 ± 0.8 | 0.24 |
| Urinary parameters | |||||
| Sodium excretion, mmol/24 h | 157.2 ± 61.2 | 147.0 ± 51.8 | 160.5 ± 63.3 | 164.0 ± 66.4 | 0.01 |
| Potassium excretion, mmol/24 h | 73.1 ± 24.3 | 75.9 ± 24.6 | 73.9 ± 24.5 | 69.5 ± 23.5 | 0.02 |
| Creatinine excretion, mmol/24 h | 11.7 ± 3.4 | 11.2 ± 3.0 | 11.7 ± 3.4 | 12.2 ± 3.7 | 0.01 |
| Urea excretion, mmol/24 h | 391.2 ± 114.7 | 389.5 ± 104.6 | 398.5 ± 118.9 | 385.6 ± 120.2 | 0.50 |
| Proteinuria | 138 (21.8) | 39 (18.6) | 46 (21.8) | 53 (25.1) | 0.27 |
| Primary renal disease | <0.001 | ||||
| Primary glomerulopathy | 179 (28.3) | 59 (28.1) | 72 (34.1) | 48 (22.7) | |
| Glomerulonephritis secondary to systemic disease | 46 (7.3) | 16 (7.6) | 11 (5.2) | 19 (9.0) | |
| Tubulointerstitial nephritis | 74 (11.7) | 17 (8.1) | 14 (6.6) | 43 (20.4) | |
| Polycystic kidney disease | 135 (21.4) | 55 (26.2) | 43 (20.4) | 37 (17.5) | |
| Kidney hypoplasia and dysplasia | 23 (3.6) | 7 (3.3) | 6 (2.8) | 10 (4.7) | |
| Renovascular diseases | 36 (5.7) | 12 (5.7) | 9 (4.3) | 15 (7.1) | |
| Diabetes kidney disease | 30 (4.7) | 12 (5.7) | 10 (4.7) | 8 (3.8) | |
| Other or unknown | 109 (17.2) | 32 (15.2) | 46 (21.8) | 31 (14.7) | |
| Transplant characteristics | |||||
| Transplant vintage, y | 5.7 [1.9–12.1] | 6.9 [2.6–14.4] | 5.0 [1.7–11.4] | 5.0 [1.5–10.2] | 0.009 |
| Living donor | 216 (34.2) | 62 (29.5) | 75 (35.5) | 79 (37.4) | 0.20 |
| Pre-emptive transplant | 103 (16.3) | 29 (13.8) | 35 (16.6) | 39 (18.5) | 0.43 |
| Dialysis duration, mo | 36.0 [20.0–59.0] | 30.0 [15.0–55.0] | 43.0 [30.0–56.0] | 46.0 [25.0–63.0] | 0.15 |
| Age of donor, y | 43.1 ± 15.5 | 41.4 ± 16.1 | 45.9 ± 14.5 | 42.0 ± 15.5 | 0.006 |
| Cold ischemia time, h | 15.3 [2.8–21.3] | 16.4 [3.0–22.8] | 15.0 [2.7–21.0] | 14.7 [2.6–20.7] | 0.05 |
| Warm ischemia time, min | 40.0 [33.0–50.0] | 38.0 [32.0–49.0] | 41.5 [35.0–50.0] | 40.0 [33.0–50.0] | 0.22 |
| Acute rejection | 166 (26.3) | 57 (27.1) | 60 (28.4) | 49 (23.2) | 0.45 |
| Medication | |||||
| Calcineurin inhibitor | 0.02 | ||||
| Cyclosporine | 250 (39.6) | 87 (41.4) | 89 (42.2) | 74 (35.1) | |
| Tacrolimus | 111 (17.6) | 24 (11.4) | 37 (17.5) | 50 (23.7) | |
| Proliferation inhibitor | 0.14 | ||||
| Azathioprine | 111 (17.6) | 45 (21.4) | 31 (14.7) | 35 (16.6) | |
| Mycofenol | 417 (66.1) | 130 (61.9) | 138 (65.4) | 149 (70.6) | |
| Prednisolone dose, mg | 10.0 [7.5–10.0] | 10.0 [7.5–10.0] | 10.0 [7.5–10.0] | 10.0 [7.5–10.0] | 0.78 |
| Antihypertensives | 556 (88.0) | 190 (90.5) | 192 (91.0) | 174 (82.5) | 0.01 |
| Antidiabetics | 97 (15.3) | 38 (18.1) | 31 (14.7) | 28 (13.3) | 0.37 |
| Statins | 338 (53.5) | 123 (58.6) | 122 (57.8) | 93 (44.1) | 0.004 |
1
Values are mean ± SD, median [IQR], or n (%). Differences were tested by ANOVA or Kruskal–Wallis test for continuous variables and with the χ2 test for categorical variables. DBP, diastolic blood pressure; eGFR, estimated glomerular filtration rate; HbA1c, glycated hemoglobin; MAP, mean arterial pressure; RTR, renal transplant recipient; SBP, systolic blood pressure; T, tertile; UPF, ultra-processed food.