Single-Centre Descriptive Epidemiological Study of Emergency Haemodialysis Patients in the Haemodialysis Unit of the CHU Point G (Mali)

Abstract

Introduction: Haemodialysis is an exchange of solutes and water between the patient’s blood and a dialysis solution with a composition close to that of normal extracellular fluid, through a semi-permeable membrane. It is used in the treatment of acute or chronic renal failure. The aim was to study the clinical and paraclinical aspects and the outcome of patients starting dialysis treatment for renal failure in an emergency setting. Method: This was a prospective study from 1 January to 31 July 2020, with a sample of 62 patients receiving haemodialysis in an emergency setting in the nephrology department of the Point G University Hospital. Results: The study showed that the sex ratio was 1.38 in favour of men and that the mean age of patients was 36.82 years. The group of patients with a low socio-economic standard of living dominated, accounting for 71% of cases. Hypertension and anaemia were the predominant risk factors in 77.4% and 87.3% respectively. Hyperphosphaemia, hypocalcaemia and secondary hyperparathyroidism accounted for 94.7%, 98.2% and 97.7% respectively. Left ventricular hypertrophy was 29.27% on electrocardiogram and 22% on cardiac ultrasound. Isolated cardiomegaly was found in 30.76% of patients. The main indications for dialysis were uraemic syndrome (69.2%), pericardial friction (27.4), anuria for 48 hours (20.1%), hyperkalaemia (17.7%) and acute lung oedema (16.1%). The mean duration of haemodialysis was less than one month in one out of two cases. There was no significant association between age and time on dialysis (p = 0.178). The death rate was 20.97%. Case fatality was higher in patients whose duration of dialysis was less than one month than in the others (p = 0.0006). Conclusion: CKD is a public health problem in Mali. It affects young people, especially males. Low economic income is an obstacle to the management of this disease.