The role the type of vascular access plays in the transmission of hepatitis C virus in a high prevalence hemodialysis unit.

Background: The necessity of having a vascular access site as well as extracorporeal blood circulation, may add to the risk for patients being dialyzed in units with high HCV prevalence of acquiring hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection. This study endeavors to determine the role the type of vascular access plays in the transmission of HCV infection in the hemodialysis (HD) unit of a Middle Eastern country.

Methods: The records of 198 patients with end-stage renal disease (ESRD) enrolled on maintenance HD from November 1995 to November 2000 at this tertiary care center, were retrospectively reviewed to match the HCV prevalence and seroconversion rates among patients groups being dialyzed through various types of vascular accesses.

The role of the Staphylococcus aureus nasal carriage and type of vascular access in the outcome of high-risk patients on hemodialysis.

Background: Populations of elderly and type-II diabetics are increasing worldwide. Therefore elderly diabetics on hemodialysis (HD), known to have higher nasal carriage rates, are also increasing. These patients are more often dialyzed through central venous catheters (CVCs).

Emerging global epidemic of obesity: the renal perspective.

Obesity, as a core component of the metabolic syndrome, is among the top ten global health risks classified by the World Health Organization (WHO) as being strongly associated with the development and progression of chronic renal disease--a widely prevalent but often silent condition. Obesity carries elevated risks of cardiovascular morbidity and mortality besides having an array of metabolic complications. Maladaptive glomerular hemodynamics with increased intraglomerular pressure in association with vasoactive, fibrogenic substances released from adipocytes, in addition to cytokines and hormones, are the key factors in the causation of renal injury and the progression of nephron loss among obese subjects.

The impact of catheter-restricted filling with cefotaxime and heparin on the lifespan of temporary hemodialysis catheters: a case controlled study.

Background: Reduction in the rates of major complications such as infection and thrombosis that limit the lifespan of hemodialysis (HD) catheters could conceivably lead to improved survival of "temporary" non-tunneled HD catheters (NTCs). This study was designed to evaluate the impact of the "locking"' of a broad-spectrum antibiotic-cefotaxime with heparin, on the incidence of catheter thrombosis, catheter-related bloodstream infections (CRBSI) and the NTC lifespan.

Methods: This prospective study included 208 (109 males and 99 females) end-stage renal disease (ESRD) patients of diverse etiology enrolled for long-term HD from July 2002 to June 2003 at our tertiary care hospital.

Compliance to hepatitis B vaccination and subsequent development of seroprotection among health care workers of a tertiary care center of Saudi Arabia.

Background: There is lack of reliable data on compliance to hepatitis B virus (HBV) vaccine and development of seroprotective levels of antibodies among health care workers (HCWs) from the countries with high HBV endemicity such as Saudi Arabia. This study aimed to assess the compliance with HBV vaccine and subsequent levels of seroprotection among HCWs of a large tertiary care center of the Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia.

Methods: All the HCWs (n = 1302) involved in direct patient care, including 374 (28.

Advancing age and the risk of nasal carriage of Staphylococcus aureus among patients on long-term hospital-based hemodialysis.

Background: Elevated nasal carriage rates of Staphylococcus aureus and ensuing complications among the elderly and in those on long-term hemodialysis (HD) are well recognized. The aim of the present study was to determine the extent to which advancing age is associated with the risk of persistent S. aureus nasal carriage among end-stage renal disease (ESRD) patients on long-term HD.

Prevalence of human T-lymphotropic virus type I and type II antibody among blood donors in Eastern Saudi Arabia.

Objective: Human T-cell leukemia/lymphoma virus type I and type II (HTLV-I/II) infections can be transfusion associated, leading to tropical paraparesis, myelopathy and other neurological disorders. The aim of this study is to circumvent the risk of transmission through blood transfusion and to describe the prevalence of HTLV-I/II antibody among blood donors of Al-Hasa region and the cost effectiveness of screening blood donors.

Methods: The study was conducted at the Department of Laboratory and Blood Bank, King Fahad Hospital, Al-Hofuf, Al-Hasa, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia during the period of 1997 to 2003.

Emergence of nalidixic acid resistance in Shigella sonnei isolated from patients having acute diarrheal disease: report from eastern province of Saudi Arabia.

During the 5 years of the study period (October 1999-October 2003), 110 strains of Shigella were isolated from fecal samples of patients having acute diarrheal diseases. Shigella sonnei phase 1 was the most prevalent (88/110, 80.0%) serotype.

The impact of nurse understaffing on the transmission of hepatitis C virus in a hospital-based hemodialysis unit.

Objective: To determine the impact of nurse understaffing on the transmission of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection in a large hospital-based hemodialysis (HD) unit with a high HCV prevalence.

Subjects And Methods: The records of 198 patients (107 males and 91 females) with end-stage renal disease enrolled on long-term HD at King Fahad Hospital and Tertiary Care Center, Hofuf, Saudi Arabia, from August 1995 to August 2000, were retrospectively reviewed. The patients were assigned to HD groups of varying patient-to-nurse (P/N) ratios: group I, 2:1; group II, 3:1, and group III, 4:1.

The susceptibility of patients with type-2 diabetes to hepatitis C virus infection during long-term haemodialysis.

Background: Type-2 diabetes has emerged as the commonest cause of end stage renal disease (ESRD) requiring long-term haemodialysis (HD) that constitutes a high-risk environment for the transmission of hepatitis C virus (HCV). The likelihood of acquiring HCV infection in this rapidly growing population on HD conceivably vulnerable to viral infections has not been well studied. The present study aims to determine the susceptibility of the patients with type-2 diabetes to HCV infection in a HD unit with high HCV prevalence.

The vulnerability of middle-aged and elderly patients to hepatitis C virus infection in a high-prevalence hospital-based hemodialysis setting.

Objectives: To determine the relationship between advancing age and the risk of acquiring hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection, through evaluation and statistical comparison of seroprevalence and seroconversion rates in different age groups of patients on long-term hemodialysis (HD).

Design: Retrospective cohort study.

Setting: Hemodialysis facility of King Fahad Hospital and Tertiary Care Center, Al-Hasa region of the eastern province of Saudi Arabia.

Impact of dedicated space, dialysis equipment, and nursing staff on the transmission of hepatitis C virus in a hemodialysis unit of the middle east.

Background: Infection with the hepatitis C virus (HCV) is endemic in hemodialysis (HD) units, especially in Middle Eastern countries. The meticulous isolation policy recommended for patients with the hepatitis B virus (HBV) in an HD unit resulted in a significant drop in HBV incidence globally. This study was developed to prospectively investigate the impact of an identical isolation policy on incidence of nosocomial HCV infection in this HD unit of the Middle East.

The impact of nasal carriage of methicillin-resistant and methicillin-susceptible Staphylococcus a ureus (MRSA & MSSA) on vascular access-related septicemia among patients with type-II diabetes on dialysis.

Background: Fairly higher nasal carriage rates among type-II diabetics place them at a greater risk of endogenous Staphylococcus aureus linked vascular access-related septicemia (VRS) that is also dependent on the type of vascular access used for hemodialysis (HD). The prevalence of nasal carriage of methicillin susceptible and methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MSSA and MRSA) and its impact on VRS was determined in order to identify most vulnerable group and plan potential prophylactic strategies, accordingly.