A 4-year survey of the spectrum of renal disease at a National Referral Hospital Outpatient Clinic in Uganda

The clinical utility of cystatin C based eGFR in assessing renal function among HIV/AIDs patients on ART at Mildmay Uganda

BACKGROUND

In clinical practice, Measurement of estimated glomerular filtration rates (eGFR) is the gold standard assessing renal function the glomerular filtration rate often estimated from plasma creatinine. Several studies have shown Cystatin C based eGFR (Cys C) to be a better parameter for the diagnosis of impaired renal function. Cystatin C based eGFR has been proposed as a potential renal function marker but its use in HIV&AIDS patients has not been well evaluated.

METHODS

A cross sectional study was carried out on 914 HIV&AIDS patients on antiretroviral therapy (ART) attending Mildmay Uganda for care and treatment between January to March 2015. Serum Cystatin C based eGFR was measured using the particle enhanced immunoturbidimetric assay. Creatinine was analyzed using enzymatic Creatinine PAP method and creatinine clearance was calculated according to C&G.

RESULTS

The sensitivity of Cystatin C based eGFR was 15.1% (95% CI = 8.4, 24) with specificity 99.3% (95% CI = 98- 99.7). The positive and negative predictive values were 70.0% (95% CI 45.7-88.1) and 91.2% (95% CI 98.11-92.94) respectively. The positive likelihood ratio was 18.81 and negative likelihood ratio was 0.85. Cystatin C based eGFR had diagnostic accuracy of 90.7 and area under curve was 0.768.

CONCLUSION

Cystatin C based eGFR exhibited a high specificity and a high positive likelihood ratio in diagnosis of kidney disease among HIV&AIDS patients. Cystatin C based eGFR can be used as a confirmatory test.

Kidney disease in Uganda: a community based study

Background

Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is a major cause of morbidity and mortality in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). The majority of studies on CKD in SSA have been conducted among HIV-infected populations and mainly from large health facilities. We determined the prevalence of CKD and its predictors among populations in communities in central Uganda.

Methods

A cross-sectional study was conducted in Wakiso district using multi-stage sampling. Data was collected on age, sex, socio-economic status, history of alcohol intake, diabetes mellitus, hypertension and smoking. Measurement of blood pressure, weight and height to determine body mass index (BMI) and investigations including HIV testing, fasting blood sugar, creatinine and urinalysis were conducted. Logistic regression was used to estimate the strength of the association between variables and the presence of CKD estimated using the Cockcroft Gault formula.

Results

A total of 955 participants aged 18–87 years were enrolled into the study. The median age was 31 years (Interquartile range 24–42) and majority (67%) were female. Up to 21.4% (204/955) had abnormal renal function with CKD stage 1 in 6.2% (59/955), stage 2 in 12.7% (121/955), stage 3 in 2.4% (23/955), CKD stage 4 in 0% and CKD stage 5 in 0.1% (1/995). Female gender OR 1.8 (95% Confidence Interval [CI] 1.2–2.8), age >30 years OR 2.2(95% CI 1.2–3.8) and high social economic status OR 2.1 (95% CI 1.3–3.6) were associated with increased risk of CKD while BMI > 25Kg/m² was protective against CKD OR 0.1 (95% CI 0.04–0.2). Traditional risk factors such as HIV-infection, diabetes mellitus, smoking and alcohol intake were not found to be significantly associated with CKD.

Conclusion

We found a high prevalence of kidney disease in central Uganda. Interestingly the traditional risk factors associated with CKD previously documented, were not associated with CKD.

Hypertension control and care at Mulago Hospital ambulatory clinic, Kampala-Uganda

Background

Hypertension is as prevalent in many developing countries, as in the developed world and is the leading cause of cardiovascular morbidity and mortality in Africa. The control of hypertension in this resource limited setting is inadequate, a situation that translates into poorer outcomes in form of increasing incidences of stroke, heart failure, kidney failure and therefore early cardiovascular death.

Methods

This was a chart review of all the patients seen during the months of September 2012 to February 2013. We determined the level of blood pressure control, basic investigations documented as well as the choice of hypertensive treatment among patients attending a hypertension clinic in a national referral hospital, Mulago.

Results

Of the 741 patients whose charts were reviewed the median age was 60 years, Inter quartile range (IQR) was 51–71. Six hundred forty-two (86.6%) were females. Blood pressure (BP) control defined as BP lowering to at least 140/90 was seen in only 198 (26.7%) patients. Biophysical measurement documentation was very low especially for waist and hip circumference at 0.3%. Majority of patients, 476 (64.2%) had at least one documented investigation for the complications of hypertension. Only 103 (13.9%) had all investigations documented in their charts. The investigations included; complete blood count (CBC), urinalysis, renal function tests (RFTs), Chest X-Ray (CXR), echocardiography (Echo) and electrocardiography (ECG). The commonly documented investigations were RFTs (45.5%), ECG (45.2%) and Echo (44.2%). The commonly prescribed anti hypertensive medications were; Angiotensin receptor blockers (ARBs)/Angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors (ACEI) (72.74%), calcium channel blockers (72.3%) and thiazide diuretics (68.6%). Majority of patients were receiving three anti hypertensive medications 313 (42.2%), with 149 (43.6%) of these, on an ACEI/ARB, a calcium channel blocker and a thiazide diuretic.

Conclusion

Blood pressure control is suboptimal in a tertiary clinic setting at Mulago hospital and documentation of investigations is inadequate. ARB/ACEI, Calcium channel blockers and thiazide diuretics were the commonly prescribed anti hypertensive medications. There is a great need to investigate for renal and cardiac complications as well as exploring reasons for inadequate blood pressure control and consider appropriate interventions to avert bad outcomes.

Clinical Characteristics and 30-Day Outcomes of Intermittent Hemodialysis for Acute Kidney Injury in an African Intensive Care Unit

INTRODUCTION

Acute kidney injury (AKI) is a common occurrence in the intensive care unit (ICU). Studies have looked at outcomes of renal replacement therapy using intermittent haemodialysis (IHD) in ICUs with varying results. Little is known about the outcomes of using IHD in resource-limited settings where continuous renal replacement therapy (CRRT) is limited. We sought to determine outcomes of IHD among critically ill patients admitted to a low-income country ICU.

METHODS

A retrospective review of patient records was conducted. Patients admitted to the ICU who underwent IHD for AKI were included in the study. Patients' demographic and clinical characteristics, cause of AKI, laboratory parameters, haemodialysis characteristics, and survival were interpreted and analyzed. Primary outcome was mortality.

RESULTS

Of 62 patients, 40 had complete records. Median age of patients was 38.5 years. Etiologic diagnoses associated with AKI included sepsis, malaria, and ARDS. Mortality was 52.5%. APACHE II (OR 4.550; 95% CI 1.2-17.5, p = 0.028), mechanical ventilation (OR 13.063; 95% CI 2.3-72, p = 0.003), and need for vasopressors (OR 16.8; 95% CI 3.4-82.6, p = 0.001) had statistically significant association with mortality.

CONCLUSION

IHD may be a feasible alternative for RRT in critically ill haemodynamically stable patients in low resource settings where CRRT may not be available.

Prevalence and correlates of proteinuria in Kampala, Uganda: a cross-sectional pilot study

BACKGROUND

Despite the increasing prevalence of chronic kidney disease (CKD) in sub-Saharan Africa, few community-based screenings have been conducted in Uganda. Opportunities to improve the management of CKD in sub-Saharan Africa are limited by low awareness, inadequate access, poor recognition, and delayed presentation for clinical care. Therefore, the Uganda Kidney Foundation engaged key stakeholders in performing a screening event on World Kidney Day.

METHODS

We conducted a cross-sectional pilot study in March 2013 from a convenience sample of adult, urban residents in Kampala, Uganda. We advertised the event using radio and television announcements, newspapers, billboards, and notice boards at public places, such as places of worship. Subsequently, we screened for proteinuria, hypertension, fasting glucose impairment, and obesity in a central and easily-accessible location.

RESULTS

We enrolled 141 adults most of whom were female (57 %), young (64 %; 18-39 years), and had a professional occupation (52 %). The prevalence of proteinuria (13 %; 95 % confidence interval [CI] 7-19 %), hypertension (38 %; 95 % CI 31-47 %), and impaired fasting glucose (13 %; 95 % CI 9-20 %) were high in this study population. Proteinuria was most prevalent among young (18-39 years) adults (n = 14; 16 %) and among those who reported a history of alcohol intake (n = 10; 32 %).

CONCLUSIONS

The prevalence of proteinuria was high among a convenience sample of urban residents in a sub-Saharan African setting. These results represent an important effort by the Ugandan Kidney Foundation to increase awareness and recognition of CKD, and they will help formulate additional epidemiological studies on NCDs in Uganda which are urgently needed and now feasible.