Ghulam Hassan Malik

Liver disease in dialysis patients with antibodies to hepatitis C virus

Eighty-three patients with chronic end-stage renal failure, including 65 on haemodialysis and 18 on intermittent peritoneal dialysis, were evaluated for hepatitis B virus profile and antibodies to hepatitis C virus (HCV). All those positive for HBsAg were excluded from the study. Nineteen patients were found to be positive for antibodies to HCV by the ELISA II test. Eight cases were already positive for HCV antibody when they started dialysis in our unit, the other 11 became positive during dialysis in our unit. Only one of the patients on peritoneal dialysis was positive for HCV. A liver biopsy was obtained from 17 patients, who consented to the procedure. All the cases were evaluated for the number of blood transfusions received, HIV infection and the approximate time of contracting the HCV infection. Liver enzymes were determined every month. Only three patients had abnormally raised serum aminotransferase at the time of biopsy. The various histopathological lesions detected were chronic active hepatitis (n = 3, including one with changes consistent with cirrhosis), chronic persistent hepatitis (n = 4), non-specific hepatitis (n = 3) and haemosiderosis (n = 3); four biopsy samples were normal. There was no correlation between the biochemical and histopathological changes. Moreover, patients with normal serum aminotransferase levels had abnormal histopathological changes. All were negative for HIV and none of the patients had received a renal graft. Twelve patients had received blood transfusions varying from 2 to 12 units, four had not received any blood, and in one the history of blood transfusion could not be confirmed. The four patients with anti-HCV antibodies who had not received blood transfusion had relatively mild disease--non-specific hepatitis (n = 2) or normal biopsy (n = 2). One patient with cirrhosis died 30 months after liver biopsy from hepatic insufficiency and three received renal transplants. Others are continuing on dialysis and their biochemical tests are within normal limits 12-45 (30 +/- 14) months after biopsy. In conclusion, biochemical tests are poor indicators of liver disease, and liver biopsy is a definitive way of evaluating the patients of dialysis with positive HCV antibodies for prognosis.

Eleven years of experience with dialysis associated tuberculosis.

BACKGROUND The aim of this retrospective study was to evaluate the incidence of tuberculosis (TB) in dialysis patients and to determine its clinical features and results of short-course (6 months) chemotherapy, mortality and risk factors of mortality. METHODS The study included 48 TB patients among 330 patients on dialysis of whom 37 were on hemodialysis and 11 were on peritoneal dialysis at Security Forces Hospital in the period from October 1989 to October 2000. The diagnosis of TB was established by a combination of clinical, radiological, biochemical, microbiological and histological examinations. Treatment with anti-TB drugs, the results of therapy and the outcome of patients were noted. RESULTS There were 32 males and 16 females with age ranges of 18 -89 (mean = 53.4) and 40 - 70 (mean 57.9) years, respectively. Their duration on dialysis ranged from 1 month to 10 years (mean = 26 months). The presenting clinical features were fever (32), cough (16), weight loss (9), and anorexia (7). The organ systems involved were pulmonary (23), peritoneal (15), lymphadenopathy (11), pericardial (4), bone TB (3), bone marrow (2), epididimo-orchitis (1), right infraclavicular chest wall cold abscess (1), right infrascapular cold abscess (1) and right renal mass (1). Single organ system involvement was noted in 36 patients, 2 systems in 10 patients and 3 systems in 2 patients. Two patients were treated empirically with good response. Evidence of tuberculosis was obtained from chest X-rays (23), bone X-rays (3), spinal MRIs (1), AFB (stain and culture) of sputum and fluid (15), ascitic fluid examination with exudate and raised adenine deaminase (ADA) levels (12), lymph node biopsy (8), pleural fluid examination with exudate and raised ADA levels (5), bone marrow aspiration (2), exudative pericardial fluid with raised ADA levels (2), nephrectomy and histopathology (1), dorsal spine biopsy (1) and laparotomy and biopsy ofperitoneum (1). Thirty-two patients received 4 anti-TB drugs: isoniazid (INH), rifampicin (Rif), pyrazinamide (Pyra) and ethambutol (Eth), 10 received 3 drugs (INH, Rif and Pyra or Eth), 2 received 2 drugs (INH + Rif) and a modified regimen was used in 3. The drug toxicities noted were hepatoxicity (5) and INH encephalopathy prior to the routine use of pyridoxine 100 mg daily (3), INH-induced SLE (1) and pyrazinamide-induced thrombocytopenia (1). The outcome of the patients was cured (35), expired (13), and 1 patient expired before starting therapy. Tuberculosis was not the direct cause of death in any of the patients. CONCLUSION The incidence of TB in dialysis patients is 26 times more common than in the general Saudi population and a high index of suspicion is needed for early diagnosis and treatment. Extrapulmonary TB was noted in 52% of the patients. Short-course (6 months) chemotherapy is effective. INH-induced CNS toxicity is significant.

Role of Interferon-α in the treatment of primary glomerulonephritis

Interferon-alpha (IFN-alpha) is a naturally occurring cytokine. It was the first cytokine used with clinical benefit in the treatment of viral hepatitis and malignancies. Patients with viral hepatitis B or C may have complications with glomerulonephritis (GN). Improvement in proteinuria with or without clearing of viral markers after IFN-alpha therapy has been reported. This encouraged us to offer IFN-alpha therapy to four patients with GN. These patients refused treatment with steroids and/or cyclophosphamide because of concerns about side effects. One patient with membranous GN and two patients with mesangial GN (MesGN) had a remission of nephrotic syndrome. In one patient with type II diabetes and MesGN, renal insufficiency and proteinuria did not subside; however, renal function remained stable. The mechanism of action of IFN-alpha is discussed, with its possible role in the treatment of primary GN.

Dual-lumen femoral vein catheterization as vascular access for hemodialysis : A prospective study

Prospectively from January 1991 to January 1993, the efficacy and complications of 104 polyurethane, double-lumen femoral vein catheterizations (FVC) in 96 renal failure patients were studied. Ambulation was allowed in the hospital as well as at home while the catheter was in. There were 53 males and 43 females, with ages ranging from 13 to 87 (mean, 48.3 ±19.7) years. Forty-eight patients had chronic renal failure and 48 had acute renal failure. The catheters were used for 1 to 26 days (mean, 8 ±5 days). Fifty-two (50%) of the FVC were used for 2 weeks and 14 (13.5%) for 3 weeks or longer. The various complications encountered were infection (n=31), poor blood flow (n=8), displaced catheter (n=6), thrombosis of the catheter (n=4), hematoma (n=4), bleeding (n=3), exit site infection (n=3), ileofemoral vein thrombosis (n=2), and tear in the catheter wall (n=2). On removal, bacterial colonization was present in 34 out of 93 catheter tips (36.5%); Staphylococcus epidermidis (n=12) was the commonest organism grown. There was no significant difference of infection between diabetic and nondia betic chronic renal failure patients. The duration of catheterization was found to have no relation with either thrombosis or infection. Femoral vein catheters can be used for hemodialysis for 2 to 3 weeks and ambulation during cannulation may be allowed.

Repeated pregnancies in patients with non-immunoglobulin A mesangioproliferative glomerulonephritis

Aim: To analyze the effect of repeated pregnancies on underlying MesGN and see the reciprocal effect on maternal and fetal outcome. Patients and Methods: Pregnancy records of cases with histological diagnosis of MesGN were reviewed, and past medical histories recorded. Results: Cesarean section (CS). Only two patients developed renal insufficiency after undergoing 5 and 11 pregnancies and follow-up of 9 and 20 years respectively. Conclusion: The outcome of repeated pregnancies in patients with MesGN is comparable to normal deliveries. A higher incidence of pre-eclampsia, LBW babies and CS was noted in the post- compared to the pre-MesGN pregnancies. Repeated pregnancies do not influence the course of the MesGN.

Repeated Pregnancies in Patients with Primary Membranous Glomerulonephritis

This retrospective study was carried out in patients with membranous glomerulonephritis (MGN) and repeated pregnancies, the aim being to see how one influences the other. Patients with two or more pregnancies after MGN were included in the study. Nine patients underwent 51 pregnancies (range 2–12, mean 5.6) and 30 were post-MGN (range 2–5, mean 3.2). Their ages were 27–44 (32 ± 5.7) years. The duration of follow-up was 2–10 (5.6 ± 2.5) years. The pregnancy outcome, i.e., number of full-term deliveries (FT), spontaneous abortion, preterm deliveries (PT), perinatal mortality (PM), low-birth-weight babies (LBW) and cesarean section (CS), was noted. In the pre-MGN group (n = 21), there were 20 (95.2%) live births and 1 (4.7%) abortion; none had PT, PM, LBW or CS. In the post-MGN group (n = 30), there were 27 (90%) live births, 2 (6.6%) PT, 1 (3.3%) abortion, 1 (3.3%) PM, 3 (10.0%) LBW baries and 3 (10.3%) CS. However, in comparison, there was no statistically significant difference in the pregnancy outcome between the two groups (p > 0.05 in all). Comparing the incidence of hypertension, proteinuria and serum creatinine levels between the first and the last post-MGN pregnancies, there was no statistically significant difference between the two groups. Only 1 patient developed renal insufficiency (serum creatinine 220 µmol/l) after undergoing 5 pregnancies and follow-up of 6 years. In conclusion, the outcome of repeated pregnancies in patients with MGN is good with 90% live births. Repeated pregnancies do not influence the course of MGN.

Intraventricular and Brachial Artery Thrombosis in Nephrotic Syndrome

A 23-year-old Saudi female presented with nephrotic syndrome. On renal biopsy she had primary focal and segmental glomerulosclerosis which was resistant to steroids. Two years later she presented with absent left arm pulses and on investigation a diagnosis of left ventricular thrombosis and thromboembolism of left brachial artery was made. Low antithrombin III, high fibrinogen levels and diuretic therapy were the possible causative factors for hypercoagulable state. On anticoagulation therapy initiated with heparin and continued with warfarin for 8 weeks there was complete dissolution of intraventricular and improvement of left brachial artery thrombosis. An early diagnosis and treatment of this potentially serious complication of nephrotic syndrome are stressed.

Permcath as Temporary Vascular Access for Hemodialysis

The efficacy and complications of 30 cuffed, double-lumen silastic catheters (Permcaths) inserted in 24 patients with chronic end-stage renal failure were studied prospectively at the Security Forces Hospital in Riyadh from June 1992 until March 1996. The causes of end-stage renal failure in the 24 patients were diabetes mellitus (10), glomerulonephritis (5), hypertension (2), amyloidosis (1), and bilateral small kidneys of unknown cause (6). Local anesthesia was used in 27 and general anesthesia in 3 patients. Internal jugular, external jugular, and subclavian veins were used in 13, 12, and 5 instances, respectively. The number of dialysis sessions varied from 1 to 292, with a mean of 59 ± 60 sessions. The blood flow was 200 to 350 (280 ± 42) mL/minute. The duration of catheter function varied from 4 to 682 (150 ± 160) days. Six catheters developed poor blood flow due to thrombosis in one of the two lumens. In two, blood flow improved after use of streptokinase 15000 IU/lumen, and four had to be changed. Four patients developed exit-site infection. Staphylococcus aureus was isolated from three of these patients, and all of them improved with systemic antibiotics and local dressing. Acinetobacter was isolated from one exit site and the catheter was changed because there was no response to antibiotics. Four patients developed septicemia; S. aureus was isolated from two, Acinetobacter from one, and one had negative culture. Catheters were removed in two of these patients because there was no response to antibiotic therapy. One patient developed right internal jugular vein thrombosis. The reasons for removal of a Permcath were: poor blood flow (4), death of the patient (3), bleeding and hematoma (2), renal transplantation (2), septicemia (2), exit-site infection (1), use of arteriovenous fistula (1), patients request (1), and primary failure (1). Eleven catheters were functioning until the end of the study. Two patients were lost for follow-up. In conclusion, Permcath can be used as a temporary as well as a long-term vascular access. It combines the advantages of being able to be used immediately and for an indefinite period that varies from weeks to months.

Consultants for the American Journal of Nephrology 1997

Consultants for the American Journal of Nephrology 1997 Abrass, Christine Adler, Sharon Agodoa, Lawrence Akmal, Mohammad Anderson, Sharon Andreucci, Vittorio Avram, Morel Bakris, George Balow, James Bennette, William Boswell, William Breyer, Julia Langman, Craig Levin, Nathan Limb, Victoria Maroni, Bradley Martinez-Maldonado, Manuel Matthew, Weir R. Mitch, William Mushnick, Robert Nissenson, Allan Nolph, Karl Nosrati, Saeid

Intermittent peritoneal dialysis (IPD) in the elderly

Twenty-one elderly patients with end-stage renal disease (ESRD) secondary to various etiologies received IPD at our unit. It was done manually by trained staff nurses. Each patient received 20-24 one hour exchanges of 2 liters PD solution twice a week through a permanent Tenckhoff catheter. Mean age of patients was 63 years (range 60–96),12 were male and 9 female. Mean duration of stay on IPD was 23 months (range 18–41). The etiologies of ESRD were: diabetes mellitus (9 patients), unknown etiology (7), hypertension (3), glomerulonephritis and liver cirrhosis (hepatitis C) (2). The peritonitis rate was one episode per 16.3 patient/month. The causative organisms were staphylococcus, coliforms, acinobacter and pseudomonas. Six patients died due to each of the following: 2 septicemia not related to PD; 2 hepatic failure; 2 massive myocardial infarction. Two patients were changed to hemodialysis due to recurrent peritonitis. We observed 7 episodes of catheter exit-site infection; causative organisms were staphylococcus (4), and pseudomonas (3). Staphylococcus cases of exit-site infection responded to local fucidin ointment and oral antibiotic, while in the pseudomonas cases the catheter had to be removed. All patients received erythropoietin and have maintained good hemoglobin levels (10.1 ± 1.2 gm%). They also had adequate control of their serum creatinine and urea level. As the patients improved, they became less dependent on their relatives.