Burden of Chronic Hemodialysis on the Ability to Work: Time for Action.

 Understanding the factors that contribute to unemployment will help in the design of creative resolutions to enable hemodialysis patients to return to a productive life.  We examined employment among 625 patients aged 18 to 60 years who were on hemodialysis in 8 dialysis units.  Overall employment was low among patients on chronic hemodialysis at 49.

Establishing the Kidney dIsease in the National guarD (KIND) registry: an opportunity for epidemiological and clinical research in Saudi Arabia.

Background: In Saudi Arabia (SA), there has been an alarming increase in the prevalence of chronic kidney diseases (CKD) over the last three decades. Despite being one of the largest countries in the Middle East, renal conditions remain understudied, and there is limited data on their epidemiology and outcomes in SA.

Objectives: To document the experience of establishing a local renal registry assessing the epidemiology of CKD and identifying potential areas for improving the quality and delivery of care for CKD patients.

Incidence and Factors Associated with Uncontrolled Hypertension at 12 months after Kidney Transplantation in Saudi Arabia.

Introduction: Uncontrolled blood pressure (uBP) after kidney transplantation (KTx) is very common and is associated with significant morbidity. However, studies that assess its incidence and risk factors are limited and outdated in the Middle East.

Methods: This is a single-center retrospective study of KTx recipients (KTRs) in our center between January 2017 and May 2020 with a 12-month follow-up period.

Outsourcing Dialysis Program: Implementation and Challenges.

The demand for dialysis treatment has exceeded supply over the last decade in Saudi Arabia in line with other countries in the region and hence the Ministry of Health (MOH) to outsource dialysis care on a fee-for-service basis. The main objective of this review article is to examine and understand the challenges and strategies devised for the successful implementation, the good operation, and the guaranteed efficiency of outsourcing dialysis program in order to achieve the set clinical performance indicators and quality standards. The outsourcing program has largely helped the MOH in Saudi Arabia to improve the adequacy of dialysis care and the quality of life of dialysis patients and might be cost-effective.

Prevalence of anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibody in hemodialysis facilities: a cross-sectional multicenter study from Madinah.

Background: Since the occurrence of coronavirus disease in 2019 (COVID-19), the global community has witnessed its exponential spread with devastating outcomes within the general population and specifically within hemodialysis patients.

Objectives: Compare the state of immunity to SARS-CoV-2 among hemodialysis patients and staff.

Design: Cross-sectional study with a prospective follow-up period.

Validity and reliability of the Arabic-translated kidney disease quality of life survey among long-term dialysis patients in Saudi Arabia.

One of the tools used to measure the quality of life in hemodialysis (HD) patients is the Kidney Disease Quality of Life (KDQOL) survey. The KDQOL has been through several developmental processes, with the most recent one being the KDQOL-36™. Our study evaluated the validity and reliability of the Arabic-translated KDQOL-36™ survey in Saudi chronic dialysis patients.

Incidence and Outcome of Acute Kidney Injury in Patients Hospitalized With Coronavirus Disease-19 at a Tertiary Care Medical Center in Saudi Arabia.

Introduction The systemic acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) has been associated with acute kidney injury (AKI). We retrospectively studied the incidence and outcome of AKI in patients hospitalized with COVID-19 at King Abdulaziz Medical City (KAMC) Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Methods A retrospective cohort study was conducted after ethical approval from the institutional review board of King Abdullah International Medical Research Center (KAIMRC).

Coronavirus Disease 2019 and Kidney Transplantation in Saudi Arabia: Outcomes and Future Opportunities.

BACKGROUND Kidney transplant services all over the world were severely impacted by the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic. The optimum management of kidney transplant recipients with coronavirus disease 2019 remains uncertain. MATERIAL AND METHODS We conducted a multicenter cohort study of kidney transplant recipients with coronavirus disease 2019 infection in Saudi Arabia.

Nutritional status and outcomes in hemodialysis patients from the Gulf Cooperation Council countries enrolled in the dialysis outcome and practice patterns study phase 5 (2012-2015).

Nutrition is an important factor in maintaining good health of hemodialysis (HD) patients, affecting their morbidity and mortality. The Dialysis Outcomes and Practice Patterns Study (DOPPS) is an international observational study assessing differences in dialysis practices and outcomes across >20 countries. Here, we present the results for the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries regarding nutrition data and its relationship with outcomes as a part of the DOPPS Phase 5 study (2012-2015).

Prevalence of vitamin D deficiency in Saudi adults.

Objective: To determine the prevalence of vitamin D deficiency in healthy Saudi adults.

Methods: A cross-sectional study carried out as part of the screening and early evaluation of kidney disease project. Vitamin D was measured in subjects recruited at 2 screening camps in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, between March to May 2008.

Epidemiology of chronic kidney disease in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (SEEK-Saudi investigators) - a pilot study.

There are no available data about the prevalence of chronic kidney disease (CKD) and its risk factors in the general population of the kingdom of Saudi Arabia. To estimate the prevalence of CKD and its associated risk factors in the Saudi population, we conducted a pilot community-based screening program in commercial centers in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Candidates were interviewed and blood and urine samples were collected.

Insomnia in chronic renal patients on dialysis in Saudi Arabia.

Background: Studies have shown that insomnia is a common sleep disorder among patients with end-stage renal disease (ESRD). This study aimed to assess the prevalence of insomnia in Saudi patients with ESRD who are on maintenance dialysis.

Methods: This was an observational cross-sectional study carried out over a period of five months in two hemodialysis centers in Saudi Arabia.

Restless legs syndrome in patients on dialysis.

Restless legs syndrome (RLS) is an extremely distressing problem experienced by patients on dialysis; the prevalence appears to be greater than in the general population, with a wide variation from 6.6% to 80%. The diagnosis of RLS is a clinical one, and its definition has been clarified and standardized by internationally recognized diagnostic criteria, published in 1995 by the International Restless Legs Syndrome Study Group (IRLSSG).

Brucella peritonitis in a patient on peritoneal dialysis.

Brucellosis is endemic in Saudi Arabia. Brucella peritonitis is an uncommon clinical condition. We herewith report a 67-year-old man with chronic renal failure on continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD) for four months, who developed chronic brucella peritonitis.

Nocturnal but not short hours quotidian hemodialysis requires an elevated dialysate calcium concentration.

Interest in quotidian (daily) hemodialysis (HD) is growing. Some advocate short-hours high-efficiency daily HD (SDH) and others long-hours slow-flow nocturnal HD (NH) while the patient is asleep, both being used 5 to 7 d/week. The London Daily/Nocturnal Hemodialysis Study was the first attempt to obtain data of SDH and NH that may be compared with conventional thrice weekly HD (CH).

Calcium and phosphate balance with quotidian hemodialysis.

Background: Conventional hemodialysis (HD) is associated with profound disturbances in calcium and phosphate metabolism and abnormal parathyroid hormone (PTH) levels. Effects of more frequent HD on calcium and phosphate balance have not been fully elucidated.

Methods: The London Daily/Nocturnal Hemodialysis Study examined effects of quotidian HD, either daily HD (n = 11) or nocturnal HD (n = 12), on calcium and phosphate metabolism, bone alkaline phosphatase levels, and intact PTH (iPTH) levels.