Background The first live birth after uterus transplantation took place in Sweden in 2014. It was the first ever cure for absolute uterine factor infertility. We report the surgery, assisted reproduction, and pregnancy behind the first live birth after uterus transplantation in the Middle East, North Africa, and Turkey (MENAT) region. A 24-year old woman with congenital absence of the uterus underwent transplantation of the uterus donated by her 50-year-old multiparous mother. In vitro fertilization was performed to cryopreserve embryos. Both graft retrieval and transplantation were performed by laparotomy. Donor surgery included isolation of the uterus, together with major uterine arteries and veins on segments of the internal iliac vessels bilaterally, the round ligaments, and the sacrouterine ligaments, as well as with bladder peritoneum. Recipient surgery included preparation of the vaginal vault, end-to-side anastomosis to the external iliac arteries and veins on each side, and then fixation of the uterus. Results One in vitro fertilization cycle prior to transplantation resulted in 11 cryopreserved embryos. Surgical time of the donor was 608 min, and blood loss was 900 mL. Cold ischemia time was 85 min. Recipient surgical time was 363 min, and blood loss was 700 mL. Anastomosis time was 105 min. Hospital stay was 7 days for both patients. Ten months after the transplantation, one previously cryopreserved blastocyst was transferred which resulted in viable pregnancy, which proceeded normally (except for one episode of minor vaginal bleeding in the 1st trimester) until cesarean section at 35 + 1 weeks due to premature contractions and shortened cervix. A healthy girl (Apgar 9-10-10) weighing 2620 g was born in January 2020, and her development has been normal during the first 6 months. Conclusions This is the first report of a healthy live birth after uterus transplantation in the MENAT region. We hope that this will motivate further progress and additional clinical trials in this area in the Middle East Region, where the first uterus transplantation attempt ever, however unsuccessful, was performed already three decades ago.

Background Hemodialysis patients with COVID-19 have been reported to be at higher risk for death than the general population. Several prognostic factors have been identified in the studies from Asian, European or American countries. This is the first national Lebanese study assessing the factors associated with SARS-CoV-2 mortality in hemodialysis patients. Methods This is an observational study that included all chronic hemodialysis patients in Lebanon who were tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 from 31st March to 1st November 2020. Data on demographics, comorbidities, admission to hospital and outcome were collected retrospectively from the patients’ medical records. A binary logistic regression analysis was performed to assess risk factors for mortality. Results A total of 231 patients were included. Mean age was 61.46 ± 13.99 years with a sex ratio of 128 males to 103 females. Around half of the patients were diabetics, 79.2% presented with fever. A total of 115 patients were admitted to the hospital, 59% of them within the first day of diagnosis. Hypoxia was the major reason for hospitalization. Death rate was 23.8% after a median duration of 6 (IQR, 2 to 10) days. Adjusted regression analysis showed a higher risk for death among older patients (odds ratio = 1.038; 95% confidence interval: 1.013, 1.065), patients with heart failure (odds ratio = 4.42; 95% confidence interval: 2.06, 9.49), coronary artery disease (odds ratio = 3.27; 95% confidence interval: 1.69, 6.30), multimorbidities (odds ratio = 1.593; 95% confidence interval: 1.247, 2.036), fever (odds ratio = 6.66; 95% confidence interval: 1.94, 27.81), CRP above 100 mg/L (odds ratio = 4.76; 95% confidence interval: 1.48, 15.30), and pneumonia (odds ratio = 19.18; 95% confidence interval: 6.47, 56.83). Conclusions This national study identified older age, coronary artery disease, heart failure, multimorbidities, fever and pneumonia as risk factors for death in patients with COVID-19 on chronic hemodialysis. The death rate was comparable to other countries and estimated at 23.8%.

Background Treatment with erythropoietin is well established for anemia in chronic kidney disease patients but not well studied in acute kidney injury. Methods This is a multicenter, randomized, pragmatic controlled clinical trial. It included 134 hospitalized patients with anemia defined as hemoglobin < 11 g/dL and acute kidney injury defined as an increase of serum creatinine of ≥ 0.3 mg/dL within 48 h or 1.5 times baseline. One arm received recombinant human erythropoietin 4000 UI subcutaneously every other day (intervention; n = 67) and the second received standard of care (control; n = 67) during the hospitalization until discharge or death. The primary outcome was the need for transfusion; secondary outcomes were death, renal recovery, need for dialysis. Results There was no statistically significant difference in transfusion need (RR = 1.05, 95%CI 0.65,1.68; p = 0.855), in renal recovery full or partial (RR = 0.96, 95%CI 0.81,1.15; p = 0.671), in need for dialysis (RR = 11.00, 95%CI 0.62, 195.08; p = 0.102) or in death (RR = 1.43, 95%CI 0.58,3.53; p = 0.440) between the erythropoietin and the control group. Conclusions Erythropoietin treatment had no impact on transfusions, renal recovery or mortality in acute kidney injury patients with anemia. The trial was registered on ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT03401710, 17/01/2018).

BackgroundHemodialysis patients with COVID-19 have been reported to be at higher risk for death than the general population. Several prognostic factors have been identified in the studies from Asian, European or American countries. This is the first national Lebanese study assessing the factors associated with SARS-CoV-2 mortality in hemodialysis patients.MethodsThis is a cross-sectional study that included all chronic hemodialysis patients in Lebanon who were tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 from 31st March to 1st November 2020. Data on demographics, comorbidities, admission to hospital and outcome were collected retrospectively from the patients' medical records. A binary logistic regression analysis was performed to assess risk factors for mortality.ResultsA total of 231 patients were included. Mean age was 61.46 ± 13.99 years with a sex ratio of 128 males to 103 females. Around half of the patients were diabetics, 79.2% presented with fever. A total of 115 patients were admitted to the hospital, 59% of them within the first day of diagnosis. Hypoxia was the major reason for hospitalization. Death rate was 23.8% after a median duration of 6 (IQR, 2 to 10) days. Adjusted regression analysis showed a higher risk for death among older patients (odds ratio=1.038; 95% confidence interval: 1.013, 1.065), patients with heart failure (odds ratio=4.42; 95% confidence interval: 2.06, 9.49), coronary artery disease (odds ratio=3.27; 95% confidence interval: 1.69, 6.30), multimorbidities (odds ratio=1.593; 95% confidence interval: 1.247, 2.036), fever (odds ratio=6.66; 95% confidence interval: 1.94, 27.81), CRP above 100 mg/L (odds ratio=4.76; 95% confidence interval: 1.48, 15.30), and pneumonia (odds ratio=19.18; 95% confidence interval: 6.47, 56.83).ConclusionsThis national study identified older age, coronary artery disease, heart failure, multimorbidities, fever and pneumonia as risk factors for death in patients with COVID-19 on chronic hemodialysis. The death rate was comparable to other countries and estimated at 23.8%.

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