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Study highlights state of renal failure in Linden
Although the state of renal failure has been gaining much attention, a recent study was able to amplify the extent of the condition as seen by medical personnel at the Linden Hospital Complex (LHC).
The study conducted by Dr. Angelina Dhani, together with Doctors Afzal Mohamed and Ramsunder Doobay, all of whom operate out of Linden, was able to deduce that there is a high prevalence of chronic kidney disease within the LHC Medical Clinic. And according to the medical experts, “it is important to know the prevalence of chronic kidney disease since ascertainment of trends is central to disease management and prevention planning.”
A nurse attends to a renal failure patient at the Doobay Renal Centre
Titled ‘High prevalence of Chronic Kidney Disease among medical clinic patients at Linden’, the study was presented when the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC) hosted the Sixth Guyana Medical Scientific Conference at the Guyana International Conference Centre recently. The objective of the study was to determine the estimated prevalence of chronic kidney disease among Linden patients.
The undertaking took on the form of a cross-sectional study, which was performed with analysis of a representative sample of 235 patients who gave consent to participate. The study population, according to Dr Dhani, was limited to persons 18 years and older who were not missing serum creatinine measurements. Serum Creatinine is a chemical molecule that is present in the liquid portion of the blood. Moreover, measuring serum creatinine is a useful and inexpensive method of evaluation renal dysfunction.
Patients who attended the Clinic between June 4 and July 31, 2013, were selected, with the exception of those who were using medications that could affect their serum creatinine recorded within their clinic card from previous tests done at least three months before. The patients’ blood samples were phlebotomized upon their visit to the Clinic where serum rate was estimated using the abbreviated Modification of Diet in Renal Disease (MDRD) study formula. Patients’ age, sex and medical history were recorded and Microsoft Excel and Word were employed to tabulate the data and results.
Of the patients diagnosed, 90 per cent were in stage three (moderate renal damage) and 10 per cent were in stage four (severely reduced kidney function). The cases of chronic kidney disease, according to the report of the study, were associated with hypertension in 61 per cent of cases; diabetes in six per cent and a combination of diabetes and hypertension in 31 per cent of cases.
And it was the conclusion of the investigating doctors that “chronic kidney disease in this population was more frequent in women who made up 80 per cent of the cases.” Added to this, it was revealed that of the patients diagnosed, 80 per cent were Afro Guyanese; 11 per cent Indo Guyanese and nine per cent were of mixed race.
The study comes at a time when the GPHC is engaged in discussions with the Doobay Renal Centre and its overseas partners to offer free kidney transplants. Currently the entity is fostering strategic partnerships and a number of its personnel are in training to help facilitate the venture, according to GPHC’s Institute of Health Science Education Director, Dr Madan Rambaran. In fact, he is optimistic that measures could be put in place to facilitate kidney transplants at the public hospital in the New Year. “I think within the next year we should have most of the recommendations in place and we can start the first transplant.”
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