Saudi Journal of Kidney Diseases and Transplantation最新文献

For several end-stage diseases, the only treatment option is organ transplantation, but the availability of organs is a challenge. More thorough knowledge and more positive attitudes toward organ donation among university students may encourage greater willingness to donate an organ. This study aimed to assess the knowledge, attitudes, and practices regarding organ donation among students of Jazan University, Saudi Arabia, via a 30-item questionnaire. Of the 558 respondents, 71.1% were males, 28.9% were females, and 92.1% were <25 years old. The participants were categorized as either in health-related colleges or other colleges. Differences in the level of knowledge were significant among age groups, with 19.5% of those aged 21-25 years having a high level compared with 2.3% of those aged 26+ years. Participants in health-related colleges had significantly higher levels of knowledge than those in other colleges. Differences between males and females were not significant. Regarding attitudes toward organ donation, some factors were significant (P ≤0.05). Positive attitudes were reported by 72% of males compared with 58% of females. Students in a health-related specialty and those in other specialties showed significant differences, but these were not found for educational level. In practice, 9.86% had an organ donation card; the only significant factors were age and specialty. Here, the participants' level of knowledge was low to medium, attitudes were negative, and most were not ready to donate organs. We recommend establishing educational campaigns on organ donation to increase knowledge, attitudes, and willingness to participate in this vital public service.

Oxidative stress, imbalanced antioxidants, and dysregulated renal lipids are closely linked with diabetic nephropathy and eventual cause of end-stage renal failure. This study was performed to investigate the protective effect of bacoside-A on markers of lipid peroxidation, renal lipids, and markers of renal function in diabetic rats. Experimental diabetes was induced in Wistar rats by a single dose of streptozotocin [40 mg/kg body weight (BW)] via intraperitoneal injection. Oral administration of bacoside-A (10 mg/kg BW) and glibenclamide, a reference drug, continued for 45 days. Diabetic rats showed a significant increase in the levels of plasma glucose, renal lipids, markers of renal lipid peroxidation, and plasma biomarkers of renal function such as urea, uric acid, and creatinine. A significant decrease in the levels of plasma insulin, nonenzymatic antioxidants, and the activity of enzymatic antioxidants was seen compared with the normal controls. Bacoside-A (10 mg/kg BW) and glibenclamide (600 μg/kg BW) administered to diabetic rats resulted in a significant decrease in plasma glucose and renal lipids but a significant increase in the plasma insulin level. In addition, bacoside-A achieved a remarkable increase in the activity of enzymatic antioxidants and the levels of nonenzymatic antioxidants in the renal tissue of diabetic rats, along with significant decreases in the markers of lipid peroxidation and those of renal function, consequently substantiating the protecting effectiveness of bacoside-A in a diabetic state. These biochemical observations were supported by a histopathological study of the renal tissue. The present study suggested that bacoside-A, a triterpenoid, offers a higher renoprotective effect to counter abnormal parameters of renal function in diabetes-induced renal injury.

Proteinuria is a manifestation of sickle cell anemia (SCA)-related renal disease and is a risk factor of renal impairment. Angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors have benefits, but their role in SCA remains undefined. This study aimed to assess the role of lisinopril, an ACE inhibitor, in reducing proteinuria in SCA patients. Thirty-five patients older than 15 years with known SCA (HbSS or HbS-β0) and a 24-h urinary protein level of 150 mg or more participated in this study. Urine was collected over 24 h to quantify proteinuria. The patients had a mean age of 28.5 ± 6.98 years. The median 24-h urinary protein before treatment was 0.3006 g and that after treatment was 0.150 g (P = 0.01). After a median follow-up of 38 months, 24-h urinary protein decreased in 27 (77%) patients and normalized in 18 (52%) patients. Urinary protein increased in 2 (6%) patients and remained stable (no change) in 6 (17%) patients. There was no significant difference in blood pressure (BP) before and after treatment. The average dose of lisinopril was 5 mg. Twenty patients were still on lisinopril at last follow-up. The reasons for stopping lisinopril included normalization of protein, noncompliance, adverse effects, and pregnancy. Lisinopril effectively reduced proteinuria in SCA patients, without significantly reducing BP. Only a few patients developed adverse effects, including coughing, dizziness, and diarrhea. It is unclear how long lisinopril should be continued and whether it can be stopped in patients with normalized urinary protein.

Organ donation is considered a life-saving treatment for end-stage organ failure worldwide. However, the severe organ shortage in Saudi Arabia creates a gap between patients in need of transplantation and the availability of organs. In Saudi Arabia, a limited number of studies have assessed knowledge and attitudes toward organ donation, especially in Jeddah City. Thus, this study aimed to assess the knowledge, attitudes, and barriers to organ donation and to determine the factors that may hinder or facilitate organ donation. Our findings indicated that almost half of the participants (49.2%) obtained their information from online resources. Fear of the unknown (31.2%) and a lack of knowledge (28.5%) were the main barriers to organ donation. A high percentage of the participants (73%) were unaware of any local or international legislation regarding organ donation. Half of the study participants were willing to donate their organs, with insignificant differences in age, gender, occupation, and education level. Only 5.4% of the respondents had an organ donor card. The study indicated that half of the participants were willing to donate organs, but they were unaware of local and international legislation. Therefore, an intensive education program and campaigns are recommended to increase public awareness about organ donation.

Globally, chronic kidney disease of unknown etiology (CKDu) has been recognized as an emerging cause contributing to the rise in chronic kidney disease (CKD). Nevertheless, in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the epidemiology of CKDu remains understudied. The aim of this study was to assess the epidemiological, clinical, and laboratory characteristics of the CKDu population. From May 2021 to May 2022, a retrospective cross-sectional study was conducted on patients with Stage 4-5 CKD who presented to King Fahd Hospital in Jeddah. On the basis of the cause of CKD, patients were categorized into two groups: those with traditional risk factors for CKD (CKDt) and those without a recognizable cause of CKD (CKDu). Out of a total of 500 patients with Stage 4-5 CKD who were enrolled in the study, 100 patients were found to have CKDu. Compared with the 400 patients with CKDt, the patients in the CKDu group were younger (a mean age of 52.3 years vs. 66.1 years, P <0.001), with the majority in the middle age group of 40-65 years old (68% vs. 43%, P <0.001). They were predominantly males (72% vs. 56%, P = 0.003), with less hyperkalemia (4.29 vs. 5.13, P <0.043), and presented without a previous history of CKD (57% vs. 31%, P = 0.001). Among the 500 patients who were studied, 100 patients (20%) presented with CKDu who were predominantly younger males without a known history of CKD. Further studies on a nationwide scale are warranted.

This study was conducted to determine the safety and efficacy of acute central venous catheters (CVC) using a sodium bicarbonate catheter locking solution (SBCLS) versus an antibiotic catheter locking solution (ACLS). Our study included patients aged >18 years on hemodialysis initiated through an internal jugular non-tunneled CVC. Safety was assessed by comparing catheter loss resulting from catheter dysfunction (CD) and catheter-related blood stream infections (CRBSI) in two study groups: the SBCLS group (using 7.5% sodium bicarbonate) and the ACLS group (using antibiotic + heparin). Efficacy was assessed by the adequacy of blood flow (>300 mL/min). In total, 160 patients were included: 80 with the SBCLS and 80 with the ACLS. There were no statistically significant differences in clinical demographics between the groups. The average duration of the catheters was 23 days in the ACLS group and 22 days in the SBCLS group. In the ACLS group, four lost catheters to CD, two lost them to CRBSI, and five lost them to other malfunctions. Adequate blood flow was achieved in 71 patients. In the SBCLS group, three lost catheters to CD, three lost them to CRBSI, and four lost them to other malfunctions. Adequate blood flow was achieved in 73 patients. No significant differences between the groups were observed for catheter loss to CRBSI (P = 0.648), CD (P = 0.699), malfunction (P = 0.731), and blood flow (P = 0.598). The safety and efficacy of non-tunneled CVC with sodium bicarbonate as the catheter locking solution were similar to those of the ACLS.

We aimed to determine the knowledge of potassium and phosphorus in patients undergoing hemodialysis (HD) and to associate it with serum levels and other clinical variables. This cross-sectional study included 73 patients of both sexes, who were over 18 years old and had undergone HD for at least 3 months at Hospital Geral de Caxias do Sul, Caxias do Sul, Brazil, between January and April 2019. Knowledge of phosphorus and potassium was measured by a questionnaire composed of 16 multiple choice questions (two general, seven about phosphorus, and seven about potassium) applied by the interviewer. For each mineral, a maximum of nine points could be scored. The mean ± standard deviation of correct answers was 9.78 ± 2.99 points for all questions, being higher for potassium (6.75 ± 1.65 points) than phosphorus (4.64 ± 2.10 points; P <0.001). A positive correlation was found between specific knowledge of phosphorus and its serum levels (r = 0.305; P = 0.009), but not for potassium (r = 0.101; P = 0.395). The number of correct answers positively correlated with the level of education (r = 0.390; P = 0.001) and negatively with age (r = -0.372; P = 0.001). The HD patients had intermediate levels of knowledge of phosphorus and potassium, with greater knowledge of potassium. Patients with higher serum phosphorus levels demonstrated greater knowledge about it, whereas this pattern was not observed for potassium levels. Knowledge of phosphorus and potassium was associated with younger patients and a higher level of education.

Patients with end-stage renal disease (ESRD) are at an increased risk of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection. This study evaluated the prevalence of HCV infection in patients with ESRD on maintenance hemodialysis (MHD) and studied the effectiveness of sofosbuvir-velpatasvir and sofosbuvir-daclatasvir regimens in these patients. This study included patients with ESRD on MHD between January 2019 and December 2021 who were screened for HCV serology status. HCV-positive patients received sofosbuvir-velpatasvir or sofosbuvir-daclatasvir. Efficacy was assessed by the sustained virological response (SVR), and safety assessments included monitoring adverse events and laboratory parameters. Out of 1330 patients, 188 patients (14.1%) were positive for anti-HCV, with Genotype 1 being the most common genotype. Of these, 106 patients were included. The majority were males (61.3%), and the mean age was 48.4 years. Hypertension (45.3%) was the most common cause of renal failure, followed by diabetes (31.1%). Most patients (63.2%) were positive for HCV in the first 2 years of their dialysis treatment. Out of 106 patients, only 54 had received blood transfusions. Ninety-four (88.7%) patients received sofosbuvir-velpatasvir, whereas 12 (11.3%) received sofosbuvir-daclatasvir. SVR at 12 and 24 weeks after stopping treatment was seen in all (100%) patients. Asthenia and fatigue were the most common adverse events (11.2%). No patients reported on-treatment virologic failure or discontinuation of treatment because of adverse events. The prevalence of HCV infection in this population was 14.1%, and treatment of HCV infection using sofosbuvir-velpatasvir or sofosbuvir-daclatasvir regimens was well tolerated and effective.

Hemodialysis (HD) and peritoneal dialysis (PD) treatments impact the economic burden and psychological distress faced by end-stage kidney disease (ESKD) patients and their caregivers. This review aimed to discuss the concept of an economic burden and the economic burden of different treatment options, and to highlight research gaps regarding the scarcity of previous studies relating economic burden to psychological well-being. We searched five electronic databases for papers published in 2010-2020. Papers focusing on measures of the economic burden from the government's perspective and diseases other than ESKD were excluded. Out of the 6635 publications identified, 10 publications were included. Three categories of economic burden were identified, namely, direct medical costs, direct non-medical costs, and indirect costs. Direct medical costs required the highest expenditure, whereas the lowest economic burden was for indirect costs. HD patients incurred a higher economic burden than PD patients. Most of the studies were carried out in Asia. The results of the research suggest that the economic burden may affect patients and caregivers, but it is unclear whether the economic burden affects the psychological well-being of the patients and caregivers. Very few studies have assessed the relationship between economic burden and psychological well-being, and further research is needed to gain further insight into the relationship between these two variables.

In Islamic countries, many religious scholars have allowed organ transplantation. However, ethical judgments on organ transplantation are disputable and unpredictable. Therefore, opinions about organ transplantation depend on personal beliefs, as well as religious faith, cultural convictions, and sociocultural factors, which deserve discussion and study. The objective of this study was to assess the knowledge of and attitudes toward organ donation in a multicultural society such as Dubai. A questionnaire was designed by a multidisciplinary team through a review of the literature. Participants were approached from October 2018 until September 2019. Our study showed a poor general knowledge of organ donation overall (447, 66%) and low awareness of the organ donation laws and regulations in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) (376, 55%). Most respondents mentioned that they were not willing to register to be an organ donor (393, 58%); nevertheless, they would accept an organ donation (347, 51%), even from a recently deceased person if required (376, 55%). The UAE faces scarcity among plenty as far as organ donation is concerned. Our study identified several consistent themes regarding barriers to organ donation among people in the UAE. The ever-increasing demand for organs can only be met by a multidisciplinary approach to educate the public and health-care providers further.