Nephrology
Permanent URI for this collectionhttps://wiredspace.wits.ac.za/handle/10539/32807
This collection contains data collected in the course of clinical work in Nephrology across several hospitals
In particular , the CMJAH Living Donor Clinic has a long history . You can see that the work of the unit has inspired or directly produced many thesis. We also have a selection of work on transplants. This collection also includes data on kidney disease from other tertiary hospitals in gauteng
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PARTICIPANT NOTICE OF DATA SHARING FOR STUDY TITLED ‘EVALUATION OF POTENTIAL KIDNEY DONORS AND OUTCOMES POST-DONATION AT CHARLOTTE MAXEKE JOHANNESBURG ACADEMIC HOSPITAL (1983-2015)’.
Good day, The Division of Nephrology at Charlotte Maxeke Johannesburg Academic Hospital ( Previously JHB GEN)conducted a research study in the unit’s Living Donor Clinic. The study assessed clinical data of all individuals who presented to this clinic from January 1983 to July 2015. Written permission to access clinical records was obtained from the Human Research Ethics Committee (Medical) of the University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg. The purpose of the study was to analyze living kidney donation in the South African setting with the hope that the clinical findings of this research may contribute toward the future betterment of care for all potential kidney donors and that this data may expand upon the limited information available in this important field of study. As a patient belonging to this Living Donor Transplant Community, you have the right to direct how your information is shared for use by research platforms. You may engage with the principal investigator of this study should you have any queries regarding how the data from this study is being applied. You may also withdraw consent to share any information you feel is potentially identifying at any point. Should you require any further information regarding the study, please feel free to contact the principal investigator, Dr Chandni Dayal via email or telephonically on 011 489 0467. Please note that prior to accessing your clinical records, approval was obtained from the Human Research Ethics Committee (Medical) of the University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg. A principal function of this Committee is to safeguard the rights and dignity of all individuals who are a part of research projects and the integrity of the research. If you have any complaints or concerns over the way the study was conducted, please contact the Chairperson of this Committee who is Dr. Clement Penny, on telephone number 011 717 2301, or by e-mail The telephone numbers for the Committee secretariat are 011 717 2700/1234 and the e-mail addresses are Zanele.Ndlovu@wits.ac.za and Rhulani.Mukansi@wits.ac.za Thank you for reading this notice. 11 March 2022 Dr Chandni DayalBrowse
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Item Dataset From: Forgotten but not gone in rural South Africa: Urinary schistosomiasis and implications for chronic kidney disease screening in endemic countries(2022-12-11) Craik,Alison; Mayindi,Nokthula; Chipungu,Shingirai; Khoza,Bongekile; Gómez-Olivé, Xavier F; Tomlinson, Laurie AlexandraStudy information The African Research on Kidney Disease (ARK) Study aimed to determine chronic kidney disease (CKD) prevalence and identify associated risk factors in rural South Africa. The study took place from November 2017 to September 2018 and included a population-based sample (N=2759) of adults aged 20-79 years from the Agincourt Health and Socio-Demographic Surveillance System (HDSS) site in rural Bushbuckridge, Mpumalanga Province. Institutional review board approval was obtained from the University of Witwatersrand (clearance number M170583) Written informed consent was obtained from individual participants prior to enrolment. This is a secondary data analysis nested within the ARK study. In this population-based cohort study, we aimed to characterise the burden of urinary schistosomiasis in rural South Africa and evaluate its relationship with markers of kidney dysfunction with implications for CKD screening. We recruited 2021 adults aged 20-79 years in the Mpumalanga Province, South Africa. Sociodemographic and anthropometric data were recorded, urinalysis performed, and serum and urine samples collected. We measured serum creatinine and urine albumin/creatinine. Kidney dysfunction was defined as an estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) <60ml/min/1.73m2 and/or urine albumin-creatinine ratio >3.0mg/mmol. S.haematobium infection was determined by urine microscopy. Multivariable analyses were performed to determine relationships between S.haematobium and kidney dysfunction. The methodology for this sub-study is dependent on the larger ARK study processes. Data quality and ethics processes have previously been validated by the ARK consortium . Institutional review board approval was obtained from the University of Witwatersrand (clearance number M170583) Written informed consent was obtained from individual participants prior to enrolment. Additional approval for this sub-study from the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine (reference number 22152). Kalyesubula R, Fabian J, Nakanga W, Newton R, Ssebunnya B, Prynn J, et al. How to estimate glomerular filtration rate in sub-Saharan Africa: design and methods of the African Research into Kidney Diseases (ARK) study. BMC Nephrol. 2020 Jan 15;21(1):20.Item Data Set : Prevalence, characterization and response to chronic kidney disease in an urban and rural setting in South Africa(2016-11-18) Naicker, Saraladevi; Fabian, June; Jaya A George; Harriet R Etheredge; Manuel van Deventer; Robert Kalyesubula; Alisha N Wade; Laurie A Tomlinson; Stephen TollmanGlobally, chronic kidney disease (CKD) is an emerging public health challenge but accurate data on its true prevalence are scarce, particularly in poorly resourced regions such as sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). Limited funding for population-based studies, poor laboratory infrastructure and the absence of a validated estimating equation for kidney function in Africans are contributing factors. Consequently, most available studies used to estimate population prevalence are hospital-based, with small samples of participants who are at high risk for kidney disease. While serum creatinine is most commonly used to estimate glomerular filtration, there is considerable potential bias in the measurement of creatinine that might lead to inaccurate estimates of kidney disease at individual and population level. To address this, the Laboratory Working Group of the National Kidney Disease Education Program published recommendations in 2006 to standardize the laboratory measurement of creatinine. The primary objective of this review was to appraise implementation of these recommendations in studies conducted in SSA after 2006. Secondary objectives were to assess bias relating to choice of estimating equations for assessing glomerular function in Africans and to evaluate use of recommended diagnostic criteria for CKD. This study was registered with Prospero (CRD42017068151), and using PubMed, African Journals Online and Web of Science, 5845 abstracts were reviewed and 252 full-text articles included for narrative analysis. Overall, two-thirds of studies did not report laboratory methods for creatinine measurement and just over 80% did not report whether their creatinine measurement was isotope dilution mass spectroscopy (IDMS) traceable. For those reporting a method, Jaffe was the most common (93%). The four-variable Modification of Diet in Renal Disease (4-v MDRD) equation was most frequently used (42%), followed by the CKD Epidemiology Collaboration (CKD-EPI) equation for creatinine (26%). For the 4-v MDRD equation and CKD-EPI equations, respectively, one-third to one half of studies clarified use of the coefficient for African-American (AA) ethnicity. When reporting CKD prevalence, <15% of studies fulfilled Kidney Disease: Improving Global Outcomes criteria and even fewer used a population-based sample. Six studies compared performance of estimating equations to measured glomerular filtration rate (GFR) demonstrating that coefficients for AA ethnicity used in the 4-v MDRD and the CKD-EPI equations overestimated GFR in Africans. To improve on reporting in future studies, we propose an 'easy to use' checklist that will standardize reporting of kidney function and improve the quality of studies in the region. This research contributes some understanding of the factors requiring attention to ensure accurate assessment of the burden of kidney disease in SSA. Many of these factors are difficult to address and extend beyond individual researchers to health systems and governmental policy, but understanding the burden of kidney disease is a critical first step to informing an integrated public health response that would provide appropriate screening, prevention and management of kidney disease in countries from SSA. This is particularly relevant as CKD is a common pathway in both infectious and non-communicable diseases, and multimorbidity is now commonplace, and even more so when those living with severe kidney disease have limited or no access to renal replacement therapy.Item WDGMC Paediatric Liver Transplant Research Database(REDcap, 2019-12-09) Fabian, June; Botha, Jean; Van der Schyff, Francisca.; Terblanche, Alberta JBiliary atresia (BA) is a progressive fibrosing cholangiopathy of infancy, the most common cause of cholestatic jaundice in infants and the top indication for liver transplantation in children. Kasai portoenterostomy (KPE) when successful may delay the requirement for liver transplantation, which in the majority offers the only cure. Good outcomes demand early surgical intervention, appropriate management of liver cirrhosis, and in most cases, liver transplantation. These parameters were audited of children with BA treated at the Steve Biko Academic Hospital (SBAH) in Pretoria, South Africa.Item Dataset from: Chronic kidney disease (CKD) and associated risk in rural South Africa: a population-based cohort study(2022-07-13) Fabian, June; Gondwe, Mwawi; Mayindi, Nokthula; Khoza, Bongekile; Gaylard, Petra; Wade, Alisha N.; Gómez‑Olivé, F. Xavier; Tomlinson, Laurie A.; Ramsay, Michele; Tollman, Stephen Meir; Winkler, Cheryl; George, Jaya Anna; Naicker, Saraladevi; Study data were collected and managed using opensource REDCap electronic data capture tools hosted at the University of the WitwatersrandStudy Methods This longitudinal cohort study was conducted from November 2017 to September 2018 in the Medical Research Council (MRC)/Wits Rural Public Health and Health Transitions Research Unit (otherwise referred to as "Agincourt") in Bushbuckridge, a rural subdistrict of the Mpumalanga province in north-eastern South Africa. Agincourt is a Health and Socio-Demographic Surveillance System (HDSS) site that includes approximately 115,000 people. For this study, a minimum sample size of 1800 was required to provide at least 80% power to determine CKD prevalence of at least 5%, provided the true prevalence was equal to or more than 6.5%. Proportional allocation of Black African adults aged 20 to 79 years ensured a representative sample based on the most recent annual population census. Sample size was increased proportionately to 2759 individuals to accommodate a 25% non-participation rate. Dataset is 2022 cases Variables are: 1. age 2. Gender 3. Years of Education (refers to completed years of schooling) 4. Height (cm) (one decimal place) 5. weight (kg) (one decimal place) 6. BMI (body mass index) 7. POC random cholesterol (mmol/L) (2 decimal places) 8. POC random glucose (mmol/L) (1 decimal place) 9. HIV status is: Based on (i) prior HIV testing history OR (ii) HIV PCR testing for ARK 10. Using the urine pregnancy test, is this participant pregnant? ( 11. ERY (erythrocytes, blood) 12. Hb (haemoglobin, blood) LEU (leucocytes) 13. NIT (nitrites) 14. PRO (protein) 15. hepatitis B surface antigen 16. Serum creatinine (umol/L) 17. Systolic BP(1) 18. Diastolic BP (1) 19. Systolic BP(2) 20. Diastolic BP (2) 21. Systolic BP(3) 22. Diastolic BP (3) 23. Serum creatinine (umol/L) 24. Urine microalbumin (mg/L) 25. Urine creatinine (mmol/L) 26. Urine microalbumin (mg/L) 27. Urine creatinine (mmol/L) 28. APOL1 haplotypeItem Dataset from: Clinicopathological correlation of kidney disease in HIV infection pre- and post- ART rollout: VERSION 2(2022-04-14) Diana, Nina Elisabeth; Davies, Malcolm; Mosiane, Pulane; Vermeulen, Alda; Naicker, SaraladeviData note Methods Ethics approval for this study was granted in writing by the Human Research Ethics Committee (Medical) of the University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa (clearance certificate numbers M1511104, M121184, M120874). This approval permitted a record review of all HIV-positive patients who underwent a kidney biopsy at two tertiary hospitals in Johannesburg within the defined study period. Informed consent for this retrospective record review was waived. Data from included patients was anonymised prior to statistical analysis. Renal biopsies performed at these two tertiary hospitals, on HIV-positive individuals, from January 1989 to December 2014 were retrospectively analysed. Demographic data (age, sex and race), clinical parameters (CD4 count, HIV viral load, serum creatinine and urine protein creatinine ratio), indication for biopsy and renal histological pattern was recorded at time of kidney biopsy. The estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) was calculated according to the CKD-EPI creatinine equation without ethnicity correction. ART rollout began in April 2004 in South Africa. Patients were divided into 2 groups - those who were biopsied pre-ART rollout and those biopsied post-ART rollout. These two groups were compared with respect to the above parameters. In a subgroup of the patients biopsied between 2004 and 2014, additional data laboratory parameters (serum haemoglobin, serum albumin, serial serum creatinine and eGFR) and ART use (at time of biopsy) were recorded. All renal biopsies were processed according to standard techniques for light microscopy, immunofluorescence and electron microscopy. All biopsies were reviewed by the National Health Laboratory Service histopathology team who were aware of the HIV status of the patient at time of biopsy. Histological diagnoses were tabulated using the 2018 Kidney Disease Improving Global Outcomes (KDIGO) Controversies Conference guidelines. As per this guideline FSGS (NOS) in the setting of HIV describes all non-collapsing forms of FSGS. Those ICGN with no identifiable comparative etiology other than HIV were categorized as uncharacterized ICGN with no etiology other than HIV. The biopsies with multiple diagnoses were assigned its major clinical-pathological diagnosis for the purposes of analysis. All data was collected by Dr Nina Diana and Dr Alda Vermeulen from paper based patient hospital records and the electronic hospital laboratory system. All data was checked twice to ensure accuracy. Each patient was allocated a study number and data anonymised prior to entry into Microsoft Excel. Shapiro Wilk W testing and visual inspection of the histogram plot indicated non-parametric distribution of baseline characteristics of the cohort; accordingly, central and dispersal measurements were described using the median and interquartile range (IQR), and the Kruskal Wallis ANOVA and Mann-Whitney U tests were used for comparative analyses. Kidney survival, defined by an eGFR above threshold for consideration for dialysis initiation in these institutions (15mL/min/1.73m²), censored for patient default with preserved function, was fitted for patients in the subgroup using the Kaplan Meyer method; histological diagnoses were compared using Log-rank testing.Item Dataset From: Evaluation of potential kidney donors and outcomes post-donation at Charlotte Maxeke Johannesburg Academic Hospital (1983-2015)(Division of Nephrology, Charlotte Maxeke Johannesburg Academic Hospital, 2022-03-23) Dayal, Chandni; Davies, Malcolm; Diana, Nina Elisabeth; Meyers, Anthony M.Data was collected from existing clinical records of the Living Donor Clinic held by the Division of Nephrology at Charlotte Maxeke Johannesburg Academic Hospital. This was performed by the primary investigator / first author in a pseudo-anonymized fashion and stored securely in an Excel database to which only the primary investigator had access along with the data key. Procedures pertaining to original data capturing to clinical records by the data manager (Sister Nancy Makoe), were in accordance with the standard operating procedure set out by the Transplant Unit at Charlotte Maxeke Johannesburg Academic Hospital. Objectives of research Primary Objective • To determine donor morbidity and mortality after donation. • Analysis of morbidity will focus on the development of - New onset hypertension following donation (BP ≥140/90) - Chronic kidney disease following donation, defined as the development of either of the following - New onset proteinuria (AER >300mg/day) - An eGFR <60 ml/min/1.73 m² (using the CKD-EPI formula) Secondary Objectives • To determine the reasons for exclusion of potential donors from living kidney donation • To determine the prevalence of ESKD following donation (eGFR <15 ml/min/1.73 m² using the CKD-EPI formula) • To determine potential risk factors associated with proteinuria and/or a reduced eGFR post kidney donation, by evaluating a. donor demographics b. the presence of isolated medical abnormalities prior to donation, defined by: - a borderline pre-donation 51Cr-EDTA GFR (<80 ml/min/1.73 m²) - pre-existing hypertension (well controlled on a single agent with no end-organ damage) - class I obesity (BMI 30-35 kg/m²) • To determine the proportion of patients lost to follow-up post donation 5.2 Study design A single centre retrospective observational study was conducted of all patients attending the Living Donor Clinic in the Renal Unit at CMJAH over a 32-year period between 01 January 1983 and 31 July 2015. The closing date for sampling reflects the period of protocol submission for this study. The cohort comprised of 1208 potential living donors, of which: • 910 are failed living donors, assessed between 01 January 1990 and 31 July 2015 • 298 are accepted living donors, assessed between 01 January 1983 and 31 July 2015 5.3 Data collection 5.2.1 Data collection for failed living donors Data collection for failed living donors comprised the following parameters: • Demographic data – age at assessment, gender and ethnicity • Family history of the donor • Relation to the intended recipient – whether related, unrelated or altruistic • The outcome of eligibility evaluation • If excluded from living donation, reasons for non-donation will be documented, which were categorised as: - donor-recipient related, - donor-related, - recipient-related, or - miscellaneous. • The indications and findings of any renal biopsy undertaken on a donor was recorded 5.2.2 Data collection for accepted living donors Data collection for accepted living donors comprised the following parameters: • Demographic information – gender, ethnicity, age at donation (as well as age at each follow-up point) • Family history of the accepted donor • Details pertaining to the donation, specifically: - relation to the recipient, as well as cause of renal failure in the recipient - the date of donation - the graft outcome (if known) • The last follow-up date at the Living Donor Clinic and the approximate number of post-donation follow-up visits • Domicile in relation to the Living Donor Clinic (in kilometres from transplant centre) • The reason for lost to follow-up (if known) • Baseline characteristics at donation, including: - Body mass index - Urine albumin: creatinine ratio - Systolic blood pressure - Diastolic blood pressure - Baseline serum creatinine - eGFR as defined by an isotope study, the chromium-51-ethylene-diamine-tetra-aceticacid scan (51Cr EDTA scan) as well as the CKD-EPI formula - Habits, including smoking status and history of alcohol consumption - History of pre-existing medical condition(s) • Characteristics at follow-up (correlated with time after donation), including: - Body mass index - Urine albumin: creatinine ratio - Systolic blood pressure - Diastolic blood pressure - Serum creatinine - eGFR as defined by the CKD-EPI formula - Habits, including smoking status and alcohol consumption - Development of co-morbid disease - History of nephrotoxic drug intake The above variables were retrospectively collected from data recorded at the patients’ first follow-up visit post-donation, one-year post-donation visit, and at the most recent follow-up visit. • Mortality data was collected in accepted living donors that demised during the study period, and will include: - age at death - the time from donation to mortality - cause of death, whether related to renal disease, a cardiovascular event or other cause 5.3 Definition of variables 5.3.1 Classification of donors • Potential living donors (PLDs) – refer to all donors assessed at the CMJAH Living Donor Clinic • Failed living donors (FLDs) – refer to the sub-group of PLDs excluded from living kidney donation • Accepted living donors (ALDs) – refer to the subgroup of PLDs that ultimately donated a kidney 5.3.2 Hypertension Defined as per the Eighth Joint National Committee (JNC8) guidelines for blood pressure targets: • For donors with a current age of more than sixty years: - a systolic blood pressure of more than 150mmHg, with - a diastolic blood pressure of more than 90mmHg • For donors with a current age of less than sixty years: - a systolic blood pressure of more than 140mmHg, with - a diastolic blood pressure of more than 90mmHg 5.3.2 Albuminuria Quantified as per the revised Kidney Disease Improving Global Outcomes (KDIGO) chronic kidney disease classification into three stages of albuminuria based on the albumin excretion rate (AER) in milligrams per day (mg/day): • A1: Normal or mildly increased (AER <30 mg/day) • A2: Moderately increased (AER between 30 - 300 mg/day) • A3: Severely increased (AER >300 mg/day, with nephrotic range proteinuria defined as >3500 mg/day) 5.3.3 Glomerular filtration rate • Pre-donation GFR will be defined: - as per isotope study: 51Cr EDTA scan - as calculated by the Chronic Kidney Disease Epidemiology Collaboration (CKD-EPI) formula, expressed as: GFR = 141 × min (Scr /κ, 1) α × max (Scr /κ, 1)-1.209 × 0.993Age × 1.018 [if female] × 1.159 [if black] where: GFR = glomerular filtration rate in ml/min/1,73m2 Scr = serum creatinine in mg/dL κ = 0.7 for females and 0.9 for males α = -0.329 for females and -0.411 for males min indicates the minimum of Scr /κ or 1, and max indicates the maximum of Scr /κ or 1. • Post-donation GFR will be calculated by the CKD-EPI formula, as expressed above. 5.3.4 Chronic kidney disease Defined as per the revised Kidney Disease Outcomes Quality Initiative (KDOQI) as either kidney damage or GFR<60 ml/min/1.73 m² for ≥ 3 months. Kidney damage encompasses pathological abnormalities or markers of damage, including biochemical or radiological abnormalities. GFR is further classified into stages (table 1.1). Table 1.1 | Revised KDOQI classification for chronic kidney disease GFR Stages GFR (ml/min/1.73 m2) Classification 1 >90 Normal 2 60 – 89 Mildly decreased 3a 45 – 59 Mildly to moderately decreased 3b 30 – 44 Moderately to severely decreased 4 15 – 29 Severely decreased 5 <15 ESKD 5.3.5 Body mass index • BMI will be calculated as weight (in kilograms) divided by height (in meters) squared. • It will then be sub-classified as per the World Health Organisation (WHO) international BMI classification (table 1.2). Table 1.2 | WHO international classification of BMI Classification BMI (kg/m2) Underweight < 18.5 Normal Range 18.5 to 24.99 Overweight Pre-obese Obese - Obese Class I - Obese Class II - Obese Class III ≥ 25 25 to 29.99 ≥ 30 30 to 34.99 35 to 39.99 ≥ 40 5.3.6 Isolated medical abnormalities Refers to donors with any of the following characteristics prior to donation: • A borderline 51Cr-EDTA GFR <80 ml/min/1.73 m2 • Pre-existing hypertension well-controlled on a single agent with no end- organ damage • Class I obesity (BMI 30 - 35 kg/m2 )Item An argument for a paid and regulated living-unrelated kidney donation system in South Africa(2021) Ewing (Naude), Susan LesleyOne of the biggest challenges that global healthcare is experiencing is the shortage of kidney organ donors. Globally, the demand for organs is far greater than the supply and as a result, people who are on waiting lists will not get a chance to receive a kidney. Those who are waiting for transplants will require ongoing dialysis to survive (Nath & Fervenza, 2018). Dialysis is extremely costly and burdens the healthcare systems. Given the enormous gaps between supply and demand, this report seeks to answer the question: “Should South Africa follow the model of a paid and regulated living unrelated kidney donation system?” I begin with an analysis of South Africa’s current structure, the effects of this system and ultimately seeing the need for a different solution. I analyzed the various models globally in kidney donation, including the only country that allows for a paid system and the objections thereto. Currently, the sale of organs is prohibited in South Africa. My view is that our current South African model is lacking in solutions to the shortage of organ donors, particularly kidneys. There is a need for a better solution as the current system is failing to meet the needs of patients. In this paper, I use the principlism framework consisting of the four bioethical principles namely, autonomy, beneficence, non-maleficence and justice, to highlight the constitutional conflicts and the ethical dilemmas when considering a paid donation system. As I am arguing for a paid system in South Africa, I have included the ubuntu theory to show why objections to a paid and regulated system would fail. In conclusion, a paid and regulated living-unrelated kidney donation system is argued to be the most ethically and practically appropriate system in South Africa, to improve kidney donation rates and the livelihoods of the peopleItem Outcomes of paediatric liver transplant for biliary Atresia(2021) Gamiet, Yentl LeighBackground: Despite the widespread use of Kasai Portoenterostomy (KPE) for biliary atresia, more than two thirds of these patients require liver transplant. Liver transplantation is not widely available in South Africa, and Wits Donald Gordon Medical Centre is one of two centres performing paediatric liver transplantation in the country, and the only centre performing living related donor transplants. The study aims to outline the experience with liver transplant for biliary atresia in terms of the post-operative complications and one-year survival outcomes, with the goal to ascertain the factors which govern those outcomes. Methods: A retrospective review was performed at the centre. Demographic data was collected, and tabulated. Survival analysis was performed using Kaplan Meier curves. Complication rates were categorised into biliary, vascular and enteric complications, and classified as early and late. Mortality was analysed according to cause and timing which was categorised as early and late. Results: Sixty-seven first time liver transplants were performed for biliary atresia, at WDGMC from 2005 to 2017. Sixty-nine percent were female patients and thirty-one percent were male patients. Forty-eight percent of patients under the age of 5 years, had a z-score of -2 or worse for mid upper arm circumference (MUAC). The rates of biliary complications, enteric complications and vascular complications were 34%, 12% and 12%, respectively. One-year overall survival of the cohort is 84.5%, and overall graft survival is 82.9%. Overall mortality was 22% but cause of death was difficult to corroborate. Conclusion: Complication rates and survival outcomes are comparable to international single centre studies despite the high rates of malnutrition in our study cohort. Early referral of all patients with biliary atresia to a paediatric liver transplant centre is essential for early detection of indications, and medical and nutritional optimisation of patientsItem Kidney transplant related knowledge and health education needs of patients with chronic kidney failure in two academic hospitals in Gauteng(2021) Nkadimeng, Mmabje CalvinBackground: Patients living with chronic kidney failure endure a lot of stress, as they have to adjust their lifestyle, stop smoking, eat a healthy diet, and refrain from self-medication. Currently, South Africa has dearth in literature regarding the knowledge of these patients about kidney transplant, which is so far the best treatment for chronic kidney failure. Patients are provided with health education before any transplant, this is done to equip them with adequate knowledge regarding the disease and its management. However, there are no methods to examine whether the patient comprehended the information or not. Purpose: The purpose of this study was to describe the kidney transplant related knowledge and health education needs of patients with Chronic Kidney Failure on haemodialysis awaiting kidney transplant in two hospitals in Gauteng. Methods: The study was a quantitative, descriptive and cross-sectional survey and data was collected using a kidney transplant understanding tool (K-TUT) questionnaire. Data analysis: Data was analysed using the statistical package for Social Science computer Programme and quantitative content analysis. Setting: The setting for this study was the renal units at two academic hospitals in Gauteng, South Africa. Results: Of the n=124 aimed sample size, n=70 patients gave consent to participate in the study, based on the set objective of describing the knowledge of patients on dialysis about their knowledge on kidney transplant, a large number n=58 (82.86%) scored above 50% indicating adequate knowledge and n=12 (17.14%) scored below 50%, which is regarded as inadequate knowledge. However, at the mean score of 55%, only half (n=35; 50%) of the participants had adequate knowledge. When considering the 55% as adequate knowledge indicator, half of the participants had inadequate knowledge regarding kidney transplant. The health education needs revealed three themes: firstly, the health education needs related to kidney transplant (quality of life, reproductive health and risks and side effects). Secondly the additional information needs to understand kidney transplant process such as donors and support system and lastly the family member involvement theme which entailed their family member understanding of the risk of rejection and infectionItem Audit of acute rejection in renal allografts(2020) Thomas, Riju MathewAcute graft rejection is acknowledged to have a negative impact on graft survival in renal transplantation. South Africa provides for limited renal transplantation amidst the increasing burden of chronic kidney disease in the local context. Despite this suboptimal provision and limited resources, amongst many other concerns, the role of acute graft rejection on graft survival has not been characterized in the context of South Africa, as well as the African continent. This study is an audit, characterising acute graft rejection diagnosed at the Charlotte Maxeke Johannesburg Academic Hospital over a ten-year period (2003-2012). The study revealed the incidence of acute rejection in renal transplants to be 34.5%, similar to that reported in international studies. The majority of acute rejections occurred within the first year of transplantation (53.8%), which was lower than that reported in other studies, with 40% of patients having recurrence of acute rejection. The main form of rejection diagnosed was acute cellular rejection (predominantly BANFF grades 1A and 1B), followed by Borderline acute cellular rejection, the combination of which comprised the majority (86.9%) of all rejections diagnosed. This population was found to be a male dominant and Black African dominant study group, in keeping with the racial distribution of the dialysis population of South Africa, commonly influenced by treatment-seeking behaviour. Cadaveric donor grafts were engrafted in 77.7% of this population and 77.8% of the population had less than 40% of HLA antigens in common with their donor. Delayed graft function was observed in 22.4% of recipients with a significant association with more severe acute graft rejection. Hypertension was the most dominant primary aetiology leading to chronic kidney disease of native kidneys in this population. Immunosuppressive regimen, including cyclosporin, mycophenolate mofetil and prednisone, was used in 80% of recipients, with 97.6% of recipients on mycophenolate mofetil and prednisone. The five-year survival of grafts developing acute rejection was 61.7%. Graft function deteriorated more dramatically amongst recipients who progressed to graft loss, with recovery of graft function observed to be more prominent amongst recipients with surviving grafts. This study adds to the literature on this topic, and also describes the characteristics and outcomes of this entity.