Five-Year Mortality Analysis in Hemodialysis Patients in a Single-Center in Dubai.

The purpose of this study is to determine the mortality among patients on hemodialysis (HD). This observational cohort study was conducted at Dubai Hospital during the period between January 2012 and December 2016. All adults' patients with end-stage renal disease (ESRD) on HD irrespective of their age, gender, and duration of dialysis were enrolled. Mortality among these patients along with certain information like age at the time of death, gender, cause of ESRD, comorbidities, and serology report, were collected. Out of a total of 411 patients, 112 (27.3%) patients died during the study period, 56% were male and their median age at the time of initiation of dialysis and at the time of death was 59.38 ± 13.5 and 63.8 ± 13.6, respectively. Thirteen patients suffered early mortality; i.e., died within 365 days of initiation of dialysis. Diabetes mellitus (DM) was the most common cause of ESRD (73%) among the deceased populations, whereas hypertension was the most prevalent comorbidity in our study group. Anemia (46%), hypoalbuminemia (54%), and hypoparathyroidism (72%), whereas high ferritin (63%) and abnormal phosphorus (61.6%) were predominant biochemical parameters in the deceased patients. The leading cause of death was cardiovascular in 48 patients (42.85%) followed by infection/sepsis (21 patients, 18.75%), unknown causes/sudden death (including sudden death at home) in 18 patients (16.07%) and cerebrovascular events in seven patients (6.2%). Other causes include gastrointestinal hemorrhage, liver disease, and pulmonary embolism. In general, older age group, DM, prolonged duration on dialysis and cardiac diseases were the common causes of mortality in our study population. We found that the conventional risk factors such as old age, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, duration on dialysis, dialysis adequacy, low hemoglobin and low albumin, abnormal phosphorus, and high ferritin are comparatively prevalent in our study patients. Monitoring and timely intervention of these risk factors can help in reducing mortality in future.

Hepatocellular carcinoma: a clinicopathological study.

OBJECTIVE: To describe the clinico-pathological and radiological profile of hepatocellular carcinoma. STUDY DESIGN: A case series. PLACE AND DURATION OF STUDY: Medical Unit-III Ward-7, Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre, Karachi, from January to December 2008. METHODOLOGY: All consecutive patients suspected of having hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), were admitted and included in this study. Diagnosis of HCC was established by clinical, biochemical, ultrasonographic and histopathologic findings. Patients with primary carcinoma elsewhere in the body, metastatic in the liver, fibrolamellar carcinoma and benign tumours were excluded from the study. At ultrasonography, the details of tumour size and number, portal vein thrombosis and presence of ascites were recorded. Patients were staged according to Okuda staging system. Results were described in mean and percentage values. RESULTS: There were 82 patients with hepatocellular carcinoma including 58 males and 24 females, with male to female ratio of 2.8:1. The mean age of patients was 56.24+/-13.65 years. Right hypochondrial pain was the main symptom in 52 (63.4%) patients. The duration of symptoms varied from 1 month to 2 years. Tumour size was larger than 50% of liver size in 42 (51.2%) with portal vein thrombosis in 10 (12.19%). Anti HCV was positive in 44 (53.7%), HBsAg in 26 (31.7%) and both were found positive in 2 (2.44%) patients. Ten patients (12.2/%) found negative both for anti-HCV and HBsAg. According to Okuda staging system 18 patients had stage 1, 50 had stage 2 and 14 had stage 3 hepatocellular carcinoma. CONCLUSION: The mean age of presentation of hepatocellular carcinoma was younger as compared to western countries with potentially large non-resectable lesions. Chronic hepatitis C and B was found to be the major known factors. Patients with chronic hepatitis C and B should undergo vigorous HCC surveillance to detect early, potentially respectable HCC.