The Effectiveness of Alternate-day Cinacalcet Therapy for Secondary Hyperparathyroidism in Noncompliant Hemodialysis Patients.

Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is defined as an abnormality of the kidney's structure or function that is present for more than 3 months. Secondary hyperparathyroidism is a consequence of CKD, which eventuates with a decrease in the glomerular filtration rate. This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of alternate-day cinacalcet in noncompliant dialysis patients compared with a daily dose.

Pattern of renal diseases and the need for establishment of renal biopsy registry in Saudi Arabia.

Renal disease is a common medical problem in Saudi Arabia. Varieties of renal lesions if not treated properly or not discovered early will lead to a chronic kidney disease. Identifying the types of renal lesions can help in identifying the high-risk patients and appropriate treatment can be provided.

Culture-related service expectations: a comparative study using the Kano model.

Objective: To compare service expectations between Arab and Austrian patients.

Methods: We used a Kano model-based questionnaire with 20 service attributes of relevance to the dialysis patient. We analyzed 530, 172, 60, and 68 responses from Saudi, Austrian, Syrian, and UAE patients, respectively.

Hypertension care at primary health care centers: a report from Abha, Saudi Arabia.

It is well known that effective management of hypertension reduces the incidence of myo-cardial infarction, stroke and vascular complications. The Ministry of Health, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, introduced the Quality Assurance Guidelines with the hope to improve the management of hypertension in its centers. We conducted an audit of two Primary Health Care Centers namely, Al-Manhal (MPHCC) and Al-Numais (NPHCC), to evaluate how well hypertension was managened at these centers.

Pharmacokinetics of gentamicin in hemodialysis patients: a comparative study between diabetic and non-diabetic patients.

Diabetic nephropathy is one of the leading causes of end-stage renal disease (ESRD). There is some evidence that differences in extracellular fluid volume and capillary permeability do exist between diabetic and non-diabetic patients. This may have an impact on the gentamicin volume of distribution and clearance and thus dosing regimen.

Need for renal biopsy registry in Saudi Arabia.

Many renal lesions may result in chronic kidney disease if not detected early or treated properly. Glomerulonephritis is considered one of the leading causes of end-stage renal disease. The prevalence of different renal lesions were identified by inconsistent studies.

Incidence of treated end-stage renal disease in asir region, southern saudi arabia.

Incidence of treated end-stage renal disease (t-ESRD) in Saudi Arabia is not well documented and only few reports are available. This study was conducted to determine the incidence of t-ESRD in Asir region. The study period included January 1995 to December 1995.

Fatal complication of percutaneous femoral vein catheterization in a hemodialysis patient.

Percutaneous femoral vein catheterization is a safe procedure to perform and major complications are rarely reported. WE present a case of death following such procedure in a chronic hemodialysis patient. This case is to emphasize the importance of taking utmost care during insertion of he catheter and not to underestimate the dangers of what may look like a minor tear in the vein when surgical exploration is needed.

Psycho-social Features of Chronic Dialysis Patients in Saudi Arabia: Experience of one Centre.

The goals of chronic dialysis treatment for end-stage renal disease (ESRD) patients include restoration of the highest achievable state of personal physical health and preservation as well as restoration and development of the highest level of psychological and social functions. We conducted this study to evaluate factors influencing the process of adaptation such as religious faith, economic status and extended family-tribal system. It was hoped that studying these factors might provide further dimension to our understanding of the psychopathology of ESRD patients, and to help offer new ideas to improve the quality of their lives.

The significance of extreme elevation of the erythrocyte sedimentation rate in hemodialysis patients.

We conducted this study to determine the prevalence of elevated erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) in chronic hemodialysis patients and to evaluate the dialytic and serum factors that might explain this elevation. ESR was measured using the Westergren method immediately before and immediately after dialysis sessions in 200 stable (i.e.

Pharmacoepidemiological study of prescription pattern of analgesics, antipyretics, and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs at a tertiary health care center.

Objective: To examine the outpatients' prescribing pattern of doctors to analgesics, antipyretics, and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) at a tertiary care setting in Southwestern Saudi Arabia.

Methods: A retrospective review of one-year outpatient prescriptions kept by the pharmacy department at Aseer Central Hospital during the period 8 April, 2000 until 7 April, 2001. Five working days per week of each season were sampled randomly and systemically as every other prescription.

Prevalence of proteinuria and its clinical implications in type 2 diabetic patients treated at a primary health care centre in Abha City.

The aim of the present study is to describe the prevalence of proteinuria in a series of type 2 diabetic patients registered and followed up in the diabetes clinic of a primary health care center (PHCC) in Abha city, southern Saudi Arabia and to relate the proteinuria to some clinical manifestations. The study involved the files of 208 diabetic patients (118 females and 90 males). They were chosen from 475 files of diabetic patients receiving care in the PHC center of Shamasan in Abha City.

Pre-existing histopathological changes in the cephalic vein of renal failure patients before arterio-venous fistula (AVF) construction.

Background: Native cephalic vein remains the superior dialysis conduit, even 30 years after it was first described. However, up to 37% of hemodialysis patients develop progressive stenosis in the venous circuit of arterio-venous fistula (AVF), which may later cause thrombosis and occlusion.

Material And Methods: To study the pre-existing morphological changes in the wall of the cephalic vein before AVF construction, we collected 23 cephalic vein specimens from 3 normal, young trauma patients and 20 renal failure patients.

Compliance with good practice in prescription writing at outpatient clinics in Saudi Arabia.

A sample of prescription orders received from outpatient departments by a hospital pharmacy in Asir, Saudi Arabia, were analysed over 1 year for the essential elements of prescriptions. The prescriber's name, address and signature were on 83.3%, 9.

Epidemiology of acute renal failure in hospitalized patients: experience from southern Saudi Arabia.

Despite advances in health care, morbidity and mortality associated with acute renal failure (ARF) remain high. This study determined the frequency and etiology of ARF in hospitalized patients in Saudi Arabia over 2 years. Of the 150 cases of ARF, 38.

A pharmacoepidemiological study of prescription pattern in outpatient clinics in Southwestern Saudi Arabia.

Objective: To study the pattern of prescriptions in outpatient clinics in a teaching hospital in Southwestern Saudi Arabia.

Methods: A total of 3796 prescriptions from outpatient clinics of Aseer Central Hospital, Abha, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia were screened randomly and systemically over one-year period (April 2000 to April 2001). The prescriptions were analyzed for the essential elements of the prescription order, and for the number and classes of drugs prescribed, source of prescription and appropriateness of prescription to the diagnosis.

Significance of proteinuria in type 2 diabetic patients treated at a primary health care center in Abha City, Saudi Arabia.

The aim of the present study is to describe the prevalence of proteinuria in a series of type 2 diabetic patients registered and followed up in the diabetes clinic of a primary health care center (PHCC) in Abha city, southern Saudi Arabia and to relate the proteinuria to some clinical manifestations. The study involved the files of 208 diabetic patients (118 females and 90 males). They were chosen from 475 files of diabetic patients receiving care in the PHC center of Shamasan in Abha City.

Health education in the management of diabetes at the primary health care level: is there a gender difference?

We examined differences between male and female diabetic patients, as recipients of health education messages provided in a primary health care setting and its implications on the control of the disease. The files of 198 diabetic patients attending a diabetes clinic in Abha, Saudi Arabia were analysed. The results showed that females had significantly higher body mass index and fasting blood sugar levels than men with significantly fewer mean number of health education sessions in the last 12 months.

Appropriateness of requests for therapeutic drug monitoring of antiepileptic drugs: the experience in southwestern Saudi Arabia.

The purpose of this study was to evaluate request forms of therapeutic drug monitoring of antiepileptic drugs for appropriateness criteria according to published data. Request forms received by the laboratory were sampled as all requests in one day per week on an alternating basis. Drugs monitored were phenytoin (PHT), phenobarbital (PB), carbamazepine (CBZ) and valproic acid (VPA).