Background Immunological sensitization remains a major problem following renal transplantation. There is no consensus for the management of sensitized renal allograft recipients. The patients become tethered to dialysis while waiting for compatible donors. This study was designed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of preoperative single- bolus high-dose antithymocyte globulin (ATG) as induction therapy in sensitized renal transplant recipients.Methods A total of 56 patients were divided into two groups according to the level of panel reactive antibody(PRA): non-sensitized group (PRA＜10%, n=30) and sensitized group (PRA≥ 10%, n=26). The characteristics of the recipients and donors were comparable between the two groups. Mycophenolate mofetil (MMF, 1 g) or ATG(iv. 9 mg/kg) were given preoperatively in the two groups as induction therapy. After the transplantation, the patients were treated with standard triple therapy regimen consisting of tacrolimus (FK-506) or cyclosporine A,MMF, and prednisolone. Acute rejection (AR) and infection episodes were recorded and renal function was monitored during a 12-month follow-up. X2 test and t test were used to analyze the data.Results During the follow-up, 6 patients (20.0%) suffered AR episodes in the non-sensitized group and 4(15.4%) in the sensitized group (P=0.737); 8 patients (26.7%) experienced 11 infection episodes (average, 1.4episodes per infected patient) in the non-sensitized group, and 6 (23.1%) experienced 10 infection episodes (average, 1.7 episodes per infected patient) in the sensitized group (P=0.757, 0.890). The safety of the drugs,which was assessed by the occurrence of side effects, was comparable between the two groups. The hospital stay was 13-25 days (mean, 16.7±3.3) in the nonsensitized group and 14-29 days (mean, 16.2±3.1) in the sensitized group, respectively (P=0.563). No delayed graft function (DGF) was observed in all the patients. Both the 12-month actuarial patient and graft survival rates were 100% in the two groups.Conclusion Preoperative single-bolus high-dose ATG is an effective and safe induction therapy yielding acceptable acute rejection rate in sensitized renal transplant recipients.