Patients with end-stage renal disease treated with dialysis have poor quality of life (QOL). Improving QOL in these patients with multiple comorbidities is a large challenge. We performed a cross-sectional study to evaluate the prevalence and associated factors of depression and sleep disorders in this population. Our primary aim was to evaluate QOL measures in dialysis patients in Qatar through a series of validated questionnaires mainly concerning depression and sleep disorders. Our secondary aim was to study the associations of age, sex, and comorbid conditions with the QOL measures. We hypothesized that end-stage renal disease (ESRD) patients on dialysis would have disturbed QOL due to both ESRD and dialysis and comorbidities. This prospective cross-sectional study included adult ESRD patients receiving either hemodialysis (HD) or peritoneal dialysis (PD) in the main tertiary dialysis unit in Qatar. We administered two surveys to evaluate depression (the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale, http://www.bmedreport.com/archives/7139) and sleep disorders (the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index, https://www.sleep.pitt.edu/instruments/). We also reviewed patient demographics, comorbidities, and laboratory test results to evaluate any associated factors. We randomly studied 253 patients (62% on HD and 38% on PD). Overall, 48% of patients had depression, while 83.8% had sleep disorders. The PD had more poor sleepers than the HD group (89.1% versus (vs.) 75%, p = 0.003 ). Most of our dialysis patients had poor sleep, but it was more significant in the elderly group 109 (90%) than in the young group 103 (78%) ( p = 0.009 ). Patients with diabetes mellitus (DM) had significantly more prevalence of poor sleep (131 (88.5%)) than those without DM (81 (77.1%), p = 0.01 ). More female patients had depression than male patients (52% vs. 25%, p < 0.0001 ; odds ratio: 3.27 (95% confidence interval: 1.9–5.6), p < 0.0001 ). This is the first study in Qatar to evaluate depression and sleep disorders in patients on dialysis therapy.
Introduction Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection has detrimental effects on patient and graft survival after kidney transplantation. In the pre‐direct‐acting antiviral (DAA) era, treatment of HCV infection was associated with low response rates, poor tolerance, and increased risk of allograft rejection. However, DAAs have revolutionized HCV treatment. The aims of this study were to determine the impact of DAA on the sustained virologic response (SVR), renal function, and calcineurin inhibitor (CNI) levels and assess the tolerability to treatment in kidney transplant recipients with HCV infection in Qatar. Methods This retrospective study included the medical records of all kidney transplant recipients with confirmed HCV infection before January 1, 2020. All data were obtained from the patients’ electronic medical records; these included patient demographics; virologic responses to treatment; serum creatinine levels during treatment; urine protein to creatinine ratios and CNI levels before, during, and after treatment; and side effects related to DAA therapy. Results A total of 27 kidney transplant recipients with HCV were identified, 23 of whom received DAA therapy. The length of treatment ranged from 12 to 24 weeks, and 52% of patients had HCV genotype 1 infection. The median log10 HCV RNA was 6.6 copies per milliliter. None of the patients had liver cirrhosis, and all of them achieved SVR. There was no statistically significant difference in the glomerular filtration rate before, during, and after treatment. Most patients had stable CNI trough levels during treatment and did not require dose adjustment. Conclusions HCV infection was successfully eradicated by DAA therapy in kidney transplant recipients, with a 100% SVR rate. Moreover, DAA therapy was well‐tolerated, and kidney function remained stable without an increased risk of rejection. These results are expected to drive the eradication of hepatitis C from the entire country.
Anti-glomerular basement membrane (anti-GBM) disease occurs in fewer than two cases per million population. Patients usually present with features of rapidly progressive glomerulonephritis (RPGN) with or without pulmonary involvement. Anti-GBM disease is classically diagnosed by both demonstrating GBM linear immunofluorescence staining on kidney biopsy and detecting anti-GBM antibodies in serum. More than 90% of patients with anti-GBM disease either become dialysis-dependent or die if left untreated. Here, we report a 37-year-old man who presented with bilateral lower limb edema, hypertension, acute kidney injury (creatinine of 212 μmol/L), microscopic hematuria, and nephrotic range proteinuria (15 g/day). His kidney biopsy showed diffuse crescentic membranoproliferative glomerulonephritis and bright linear staining of GBM by immunoglobulin G consistent with anti-GBM disease; however, serum anti-GBM antibodies were negative. The patient was diagnosed with atypical anti-GBM disease and treated aggressively with intravenous pulse steroids, plasmapheresis, oral cyclophosphamide, and oral prednisolone with significant improvement in kidney function and proteinuria. Atypical anti-GBM disease should be considered in patients presenting with RPGN, even in the absence of serum anti-GBM antibodies. Early diagnosis and aggressive treatment in such cases are warranted to prevent irreversible kidney damage as the course of the disease might not be as benign as previously thought.
Patients with end-stage kidney disease (ESKD) are at increased risk for SARS-CoV-2 infection and its complications compared with the general population. Several studies evaluated the effectiveness of COVID-19 vaccines in the dialysis population but showed mixed results. The aim of this study was to determine the effectiveness of COVID-19 mRNA vaccines against confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection in hemodialysis (HD) patients in the State of Qatar. We included all adult ESKD patients on chronic HD who had at least one SARS-CoV-2 PCR test done after the introduction of the COVID-19 mRNA vaccines on 24 December 2020. Vaccinated patients who were only tested before receiving any dose of their COVID-19 vaccine or within 14 days after receiving the first vaccine dose were excluded from the study. We used a test-negative case–control design to determine the effectiveness of the COVID-19 vaccination. Sixty-eight patients had positive SARS-CoV-2 PCR tests (cases), while 714 patients had negative tests (controls). Ninety-one percent of patients received the COVID-19 mRNA vaccine. Compared with the controls, the cases were more likely to be older (62 ± 14 vs. 57 ± 15, p = 0.02), on dialysis for more than one year (84% vs. 72%, p = 0.03), unvaccinated (46% vs. 5%, p < 0.0001), and symptomatic (54% vs. 21%, p < 0.0001). The effectiveness of receiving two doses of COVID-19 mRNA vaccines against confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection was 94.7% (95% CI: 89.9–97.2) in our HD population. The findings of this study support the importance of using the COVID-19 mRNA vaccine in chronic HD patients to prevent SARS-CoV-2 infection in such a high-risk population.
Background and Aims Home hemodialysis (HHD) usually done as self-care by patient themselves through a portable haemodialysis (HD) machine under training and monitoring by dialysis team. HHD offers greater patient autonomy, cost benefits, treatment-related flexibility, and improved quality of life compared to traditional in-centre HD. Uptake of HHD is limited by patient motivation, cognitive and/or physical barriers, as well as lack of support of family and community. Assisted HHD (AHHD) is a new concept where dialysis team provides HD at home. Usually, it is done by a visiting dialysis nurse using mobile HD machine. Its use is limited due to financial and logistical restriction. We like to present our unique experience in providing AHHD in the State of Qatar. Planning for our AHHD program started in July 2020. Because of COVID-19 pandemic, it faced many challenges and delays. We started first patient in July of 2021. In our program, we use traditional HD machine (not portable) with connection set up in the house in a dedicated room. Special training was provided to AHHD staff regarding the special care needed for home setting (including social, complication of home dialysis settings, decision making, follow up of protocols and policies, etc.) Method We performed a retrospective study between July 1st, 2021 - December 31st, 2022. Our primary objectives were efficiency and safety of AHHD, and secondary objective was cost effectiveness. We included adult chronic HD patients (on HD >3 months) using ambulance (or eligible for it) with functional dialysis access. We excluded patients who are not suitable for home environment (psychiatric illness, aggressive behaviour, etc.). Data were collected from our national electronic health record system. Results 946 patients screened for the program. 237 were eligible (exclusion mostly due to lack of national insurance coverage or not meeting mobility/transport criteria). 121 patients refused to participate (mostly for feeling safer in the clinic setting or improper home environment), 40 patients were undecided, and 76 patients accepted and started AHHD. Age was 73+/-11 years. We had 32 males and 44 females. Mean follow up period were 7 months. 12 patients died and 2 patients returned to dialysis centre during follow up period. Only 15 out of the total 126 hospitalizations were related to dialysis (mostly due to volume overload and non-compliance with dialysis schedule and time). We had 55 patients with permcath and 21 with AV fistulas. We had 8 incidents of dialysis catheter malfunction (6 required tissue plasminogen activator installation in the house setting and only two needed catheter exchange (one had catheter related infection)). No reported significant access bleeding or hypotension episodes. We had 20 technical incidents during the study related to electricity or water supply failures. All incidents were resolved without much interruption of treatment. The program overall was cost effective and reduced cost by over 25% (mostly related to saving of ambulance cost). Patients and their families were very satisfied with the program overall. Conclusion We present a unique successful program related to providing AHHD. Targeting certain dialysis population showed great care, safety, cost saving, better QOL and satisfaction.
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