Willingness of Hemodialysis Patient's Family Members Toward Kidney Donation: A Cross-Sectional Study.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: There is a significant shortage of kidneys available for donation. Family members of hemodialysis (HD) patients are experiencing the suffering of their close relatives, which can be a factor toward better acceptance to kidney donation. Knowledge is also an important factor that might affect willingness. In this study, we aimed to estimate the rate of willingness to donate kidneys as live donors (LD) and identify related potential barriers among family members of HD patients. METHODS: This was a cross-sectional observational study involving family members of adult HD patients from King Abdulaziz Medical City and the King Abdullah International Foundation dialysis project in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. Participants were interviewed through phone calls using a pretested questionnaire. Calculated sample size was 385. RESULTS: A total of 370 family members of HD patients were included. Median age was 37 (interquartile range: 33-44) years and 64% were male. All participants were first-degree relatives to HD Patients. The majority reported willingness to donate kidneys as LD (n = 300, 81%), a proportion 0.81% with 95% confidence interval (CI; 0.77-0.85). Only 42 (11%) graded their knowledge about kidney transplantation as high or very high. On multivariable analysis, less willingness was shown with age >40 years (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] 0.459; 95% CI 0.266-0.792; P = .005), and female gender (AOR 0.496; 95% CI 0.287-0.856; P = .012). CONCLUSION: The majority of family members of HD patients were willing to donate kidneys. The willingness rate was lower among participants 40 years of age and older, as well as among women. The majority of patients graded their knowledge about kidney transplantation as average or lower. Therefore, education targeting of relatives of HD patients may help optimize knowledge and hence improve acceptance of kidney donation.

Injection safety among primary health care workers in Jazan Region, Saudi Arabia.

BACKGROUND: Occupational exposure to percutaneous injuries is a substantial source of infections with blood-borne pathogens among health-care workers. Few studies evaluated injection safety practices in Saudi Arabia. OBJECTIVE: To examine the structure and process of injection safety at primary health care level in Jazan health district, to evaluate knowledge, attitudes, and practices of primary health care physicians and nurses towards injection safety, and to determine the incidence of needle stick injuries among health care workers in Jazan region, Saudi Arabia. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted in Jazan primary health care centers (PHCCs), Saudi Arabia from September 2011 to March 2012. Data were collected using an observational checklist and data collection sheet. Jazan city health district was chosen at random from the 14 health sectors in Jazan region. All the 33 (10 urban, and 23 rural) PHCCs of Jazan city were included in this study to get the predetermined sample size of health care workers. 200 health care workers (HCWs) were recruited (29% physicians, and 71% nurses). RESULTS: Syringes in the PHCCs were disposable (100%), individually packed (92%), and available at all volumes (98%). Methods of safe disposal of needles and sharps were also operated through contracting with professional companies in 84.8% of instances. Urban PHCCs had more posts for injection safety promotion than rural centers (p=0.02). Continuous Medical Education (CME) programs on infection control were present in only 60% of PHCCs. At least 95% of HCWs in Jazan believed that sharp objects should be kept in a puncture-proof container, kept in a closed container, or disposed by a professional company. More than 80% of HCWs washed their hands by soap and water and cleaned them by alcohol before giving injection, and also got the three doses of hepatitis B vaccine.The rate of needle stick injury in the past year was 14%, without a significant difference between nurses and physicians (p=0.8). CONCLUSION: Jazan PHCCs have reasonable facilities that prevent needle-stick injuries. We need to design and implement more educational programs on safety injection, and increase promotion of safety injection posters, especially in rural PHCCs.

Cryopreservation of whole seeds and excised embryonic axes of Citrus suhuiensis cv. limau langkat in accordance to their desiccation sensitivity.

Following the investigation of desiccation sensitivity and freezing tolerance of the whole seed of Citrus suhuiensis cv. limau langkat, desiccation sensitivity and cryopreservation of the excised embryonic axes from the seeds of the same species were examined. Three drying conditions were employed: desiccation by equilibrium for the whole seeds and desiccation in laminar airflow and over silica gel for the excised embryonic axes. The relevance of desiccation sensitivity (WC50) to cryopreservation of whole seeds and excised axes was investigated. High desiccation tolerance (WC50 = 0.034 g H2O x g(-1)dw) was acquired for axes desiccated with faster dehydration rate (1.5 g x g(-1) x h(-1)) in laminar airflow compared to substantially lower desiccation tolerance (WC50 = 0.132 and 0.110 g H2O x g(-1)dw) acquired under slower dehydration rates (1.0 and 0.005 g x g(-1) x h(-1)) for axes desiccated over silica gel and whole seeds desiccated by equilibrium respectively. While few whole seeds (8.3%) survived freezing, high recovery percentages of axes (83.3% and 62.2%) after freezing were obtained under laminar airflow and silica gel drying conditions respectively. Irrespective of the drying method employed, axes survival percentages after exposure to LN temperature commensurate with the desiccation sensitivity pattern. For the whole seeds, a factor other than desiccation sensitivity that limits the tolerance to exposure to LN temperature seems to exist and still needs to be defined.

Low-molecular-weight (tubular) proteinuria is not related to glycaemic control in non-insulin dependent diabetes mellitus.

Early morning urine specimens were obtained from two groups of non-insulin dependent diabetic patients and a group (43 subjects) of normal controls. The diabetic patients were divided into two subgroups according to the degree of diabetic control as judged by their glycosylated haemoglobin (HbA1) levels (well-controlled, 47 subjects; poorly controlled, 51 subjects). The concentration of the low-molecular-weight enzyme (lysozyme) was determined in each urine specimen and related to the concentration of creatinine (lysozyme/creatinine). The mean urinary lysozyme concentration was higher in each of the two diabetic groups as compared with the control group. However, it was not significantly different between the two diabetic groups. These result suggest that there is no association between the degree of glycaemic control and tubular proteinuria.

The association of infective hepatitis type A (HAV) and diabetes mellitus.

The cases of three patients who developed diabetes mellitus (DM) within 2-3 weeks of acute hepatitis A virus (HAV) infection associated with diabetic ketoacidosis are reported. The ketoacidosis was considered an index of insulin dependent diabetes mellitus most likely precipitated by the acute virus infection.

Role of prolactin in vitamin D metabolism and calcium absorption during lactation in the rat.

Intestinal calcium absorption and plasma levels of 1,25-dihydroxycholecalciferol (1,25(OH)2D3) were measured in lactating and non-lacting rats and the effects of bromocriptine and exogenous prolactin treatment were evaluated. In lacting rats calcium absorption and plasma levels of parathyroid hormone, 1,25(OH)2D3 and alkaline phosphatase activity were significantly increased. Bromocriptine treatment significantly reduced the enhanced calcium absorption and levels of plasma 1,25(OH)2D3 and alkaline phosphatase but had no significant effect on plasma levels of parathyroid hormone. Prolactin administered with bromocriptine to lactating animals prevented all the changes observed with bromocriptine treatment alone. It was concluded that the increased plasma levels of prolacting during lactation lead to high plasma levels of 1,25(OH)2D3 which are responsible for the enhanced intestinal calcium absorption.

Anthropometric survey of children in rural Khartoum, Sudan.

The results of a cross-sectional anthropometric survey of Sudanese children up to the age of thirteen years and six months is reported. Children in whom a quick clinical examination revealed pathology were excluded, as were children who did not have a true birth certificate. Height, weight and mid-arm circumference were measured in all children, head and chest circumference were measured in children up to the age of 5 years and 6 months. Skinfold thickness at biceps, triceps, subscapular and suprailiac sites were measured in children above the age of 30 months. The children were found to be shorter and lighter, and to have less subcutaneous fat than British children. The findings are also compared with those from other African populations. Comparison with a survey performed in the same village seven years earlier reveals that the heights and weights of the children have hardly changed despite a considerable improvement in economic status. The children have a lower weight for height than British and other African populations.