Confirmed clinical case of chronic kidney disease of nontraditional causes in agricultural communities in Central America: a case definition for surveillance.

Over the last 20 years, many reports have described an excess of cases of chronic kidney disease (CKD) in the Pacific coastal area of Central America, mainly affecting male farmworkers and signaling a serious public health problem. Most of these cases are not associated with traditional risk factors for CKD, such as aging, diabetes mellitus, and hypertension. This CKD of nontraditional causes (CKDnT) might be linked to environmental and/or occupational exposure or working conditions, limited access to health services, and poverty. In response to a resolution approved by the Directing Council of the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) in 2013, PAHO, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and the Latin American Society of Nephrology and Hypertension (SLANH) organized a consultation process in order to expand knowledge on the epidemic of CKDnT and to develop appropriate surveillance instruments. The Clinical Working Group from SLANH was put in charge of finding a consensus definition of a confirmed clinical case of CKDnT. The resulting definition establishes mandatory criteria and exclusion criteria necessary for classifying a case of CKDnT. The definition includes a combination of universally accepted definitions of CKD and the main clinical manifestations of CKDnT. Based on the best available evidence, the Clinical Working Group also formulated general recommendations about clinical management that apply to any patient with CKDnT. Adhering to the definition of a confirmed clinical case of CKDnT and implementing it appropriately is expected to be a powerful instrument for understanding the prevalence of the epidemic, evaluating the results of interventions, and promoting appropriate advocacy and planning efforts.

Vaccination and mortality from COVID-19: a comparative study between hemodialysis, peritoneal dialysis, and non-dialysis adult population in Panama.

PURPOSE: Dialysis patients have a different response than the non-dialysis population to infection with COVID-19. This study evaluates the prevalence of infection and lethality in patients receiving hemodialysis or peritoneal dialysis in Panama, compared to non-dialysis adult population, and reports of adverse events of vaccination. METHODS: This is a prospective, multi-center cohort study of spatients aged 18 years or older and receiving in-center hemodialysis or ambulatory peritoneal dialysis in 13 centers in Panama from March 2021 to 2022. For comparison with general population, the study used an extended period of two years. RESULTS: A total of 1531 patients receiving dialysis treatment accepted to participate. PD patients represented an 18% of study patients. Lethality was higher in peritoneal dialysis patients with COVID-19 infection than in hemodialysis in the study group (p 0.02). Total deaths in dialysis patients for 2020 were 156 patients, before vaccination; 79 in 2021; and 25 for the first trimester of 2022. Lethality for the period of 2020-2022 was 9.3% for dialysis patients and 0.2% for non-dialysis population. There was no difference in symptoms in first dose, but with second dose, hemodialysis patients reported fewer symptoms than peritoneal dialysis patients (p < 0.0001). CONCLUSION: Ninety one percent of people in the country received BNT162b2 Pfizer BionTech vaccine. Lethality decreased from 30 to 5% once vaccination was available. There were no severe adverse effects and symptoms reported were less frequent than in general population, probably due to low reactogenicity in dialysis patients, or better tolerance to pain.

Unmet Needs of CKD in Latin America: A Review from Expert Virtual Working Group.

Chronic kidney disease (CKD) represents a major challenge for Latin American (LatAm) because of its epidemic proportions. Therefore, the current status and knowledge of CKD in Latin America is not clearly understood. Moreover, there is a paucity of epidemiologic studies that makes the comparison across the countries even more difficult. To address these gaps, a virtual kidney expert opinion meeting of 14 key opinion leaders from Argentina, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Guatemala, Mexico, and Panama was held in January 2022 to review and discuss the status of CKD in various LatAm regions. The meeting discussed the following: (i) epidemiology, diagnosis, and treatment of CKD, (ii) detection and prevention programs, (iii) clinical guidelines, (iv) state of public policies about diagnosis and management of chronic kidney disease, and (v) role of innovative therapies in the management of CKD. The expert panel emphasized that efforts should be made to implement timely detection programs and early evaluation of kidney function parameters to prevent the development or progression of CKD. Furthermore, the panel discussed the importance of raising awareness among health care professionals; disseminating knowledge to the authorities, the medical community, and the general population about the kidney and cardiovascular benefits of novel therapies; and the need for timely updating of clinical practice guidelines, regulatory policies, and protocols across the region.

The clinical profiles of female patients with Fabry disease in Latin America: A Fabry Registry analysis of natural history data from 169 patients based on enzyme replacement therapy status.

BACKGROUND: Fabry disease is an X-linked lysosomal storage disorder with heterogeneous clinical expression in female patients ranging from asymptomatic to severe clinical presentations as in classic males. We assessed clinical profiles and compared natural history data of female patients eventually initiated on enzyme replacement therapy ("ERT-recipients") with those remaining untreated ("ERT-naïve"). METHODS: We analyzed Fabry Registry data from 93 ERT-recipients, collected prior to ERT initiation, and 76 ERT-naïve females with classic or unclassified phenotypes from four Latin American countries and evaluated Fabry symptoms, interventricular septum thickness, left ventricular posterior wall thickness, estimated glomerular filtration rate, and severe clinical events. RESULTS: For 169 patients with available data, median age of first Fabry symptom manifestation was 12.7 years with peripheral pain as predominant first symptom, and diagnostic delay of 10.3 years from the first reported symptom. Female patients had high symptomatic burden during natural history follow-up, with 83% reporting peripheral pain, 69%-79% cold/heat intolerance or abnormal sweating, and 32% gastrointestinal symptoms. ERT-recipients reported similar age at first symptom as ERT-naïve patients but they were older at diagnosis (median 39.2 vs 24.4 years, P < .01) and last follow-up (median 43.4 vs 28.2 years, P < .01). Reported Fabry symptom frequencies and abnormal echocardiography findings were higher in ERT-recipients. Functional renal assessments were normal and similar. CONCLUSIONS: Female patients from Latin America have notable diagnostic delays and high symptomatic burden. ERT was prescribed late in females with advanced age at diagnosis and advanced disease. There remained many female patients who had been diagnosed at younger age, had substantial Fabry manifestations, but did not receive disease-specific treatment.

End-stage renal disease-financial costs and years of life lost in Panama: a cost-analysis study.

OBJECTIVES: Central America is a region with an elevated burden of chronic kidney disease (CKD); however, the cost of treatment for end-stage renal disease (ESRD) remains an understudied area. This study aimed to investigate the direct costs associated with haemodialysis (HD) and peritoneal dialysis (PD) in public and private institutions in Panama in 2015, to perform a 5-year budget impact analysis and to calculate the years of life lost (YLL) due to CKD. DESIGN: A retrospective cost-analysis study using hospital costs and registry-based data. SETTING: Data on direct costs were derived from the public and private sectors from two institutions from Panama. Data on CKD-related mortality were obtained from the National Mortality Registry. METHODS: A budget impact analysis was performed from the payer perspective, and five scenarios were estimated, with the assumption that the mix of dialysis modality use shifts towards a greater use of PD over time. The YLL due to CKD was calculated using data recorded between 1 January 2015 and 31 December 2015. The linear method was utilised for the analyses with the population aged 20-77 years old. RESULTS: In 2015, the total costs for dialysis in the public sector ranged from ~US$7.9 million (PD) to US$62 million (HD). The estimated costs were higher in the scenario in which a decrease in PD was assumed. The average annual loss due to CKD was 25 501 808.40 US$-YLL. CONCLUSION: ESRD represents a major challenge for Panama. Our results suggest that an increased use of PD might provide an opportunity to substantially lower overall ESRD treatment costs.

Infección por COVID-19 en pacientes en Hemodiálisis en Panamá 2020

Antecedentes y objetivo: Los pacientes con Enfermedad Renal Crónica (ERC) en Hemodiálisis son pacientes que tienen condiciones que los hacen pacientes de riesgo para la infección por COVID-19. Los pacientes en hemodiálisis han sido un grupo muy afectado, debido a que no pueden suspender sus tratamientos para mantener el aislamiento domiciliario, lo que aumenta su exposición y riesgo a infección por COVID-19. Para evaluar el comportamiento de la infección por SARS-CoV-2 en los pacientes en hemodiálisis crónica en Panamá, realizamos un estudio prospectivo de los pacientes infectados por COVID-19 en las Unidades de Hemodiálisis de la CSS de todo el país, para determinar las características de los pacientes afectados, los síntomas que presentaron, su evolución clínica y el desenlace de los pacientes infectados. Materiales y Médodos: Realizamos un estudio longitudinal descriptivo prospectivo multicéntrico de los casos positivos que se diagnosticaron desde el 15 de julio hasta el 31 de diciembre de 2020 en las 14 Unidades de Hemodiálisis de la CSS del país.  Resultados y conclusiones: Fueron incluidos un total de 333 pacientes en hemodiálisis con diagnóstico positivo para  infección  por SARS-CoV-2, de un total de 2194 pacientes que realizan hemodiálisis en las Unidades de la Caja de Seguro Social.  El 59.5% de los afectados fueron de sexo masculino.  La edad promedio fue de 56.75 años (DS 15.1 años).  La Tasa de Mortalidad encontrada en nuestro estudio fue de 26%. La incidencia acumulada de COVID-19 en pacientes en Hemodiálisis fue de 16% para el período de estudio del 2020. (provisto por Infomedic International)

Background and objective: Patients with Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) on Hemodialysis are patients who have conditions that make them patients at risk for COVID-19 infection. Hemodialysis patients have been a highly affected group because they cannot stop their treatments to maintain home isolation, which increases their exposure and risk of COVID-19 infection. To evaluate the behavior of SARS-CoV-2 infection in patients on chronic hemodialysis in Panama, we conducted a prospective study of patients infected by COVID-19 in hemodialysis units throughout the country, to determine the characteristics of the affected patients, the symptoms they presented, their clinical evolution and the outcome of the infected patients. Materials and Methods: We conducted a multicenter prospective descriptive longitudinal study of the positive cases that were diagnosed from July 15, 2020 to December 31, 2020 in the 14 Hemodialysis Units of the Social Security Fund of the country. Results and conclusions: A total of 333 hemodialysis patients with a positive diagnosis for SARS-CoV-2 infection were included, out of a total of 2194 patients undergoing hemodialysis in the Units of the Social Security Fund. Fifty nine percet of those affected were male.  The mean age was 56.75 years (DS 15.1 years).  The Mortality Rate found in our study was 26%. The cumulative incidence of COVID-19 in hemodialysis patients was 16% for the 2020 study period. (provided by Infomedic International)

Factors associated to depression in renal transplant recipients in Panama.

AIM: High rates of affective disorders have been reported in kidney transplant recipients treated for end-stage renal disease. Latin America has experienced a significant increase in transplant activity in recent decades, but there is a dearth of data regarding psychosocial issues following kidney transplantation. The aim of this study was to measure the prevalence of depression and the demographic factors associated to depression among renal transplant recipients in Panama. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This cross-sectional study was conducted between March to May 2010 in a hospital setting during routine outpatient evaluations. The study included 119 renal transplant recipients (58 males, 61 females). Depressive symptoms were measured using the self-report Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale and diagnoses were established by a trained psychiatrist using the Mini-International Neuropsychiatric Interview. Regression models were used to explore the association between depression and sociodemographic variables. RESULTS: The prevalence of depression was 11.8% among transplant recipients. Linear regression indicated that the presence of an anxiety disorder, increasing age, and lower education levels were significantly and independently associated with depressive symptoms. Logistic regression analysis confirmed that anxiety and a perception of negative social support significantly increased the likelihood of depression. CONCLUSIONS: These findings have important clinical implications. Depression after kidney transplantation has been shown to affect health outcomes adversely. Our results underscore the need to assess depressive symptoms as well as other affective disorders as part of the screening and treatment of renal transplant patients in Panama.

Confirmed clinical case of chronic kidney disease of nontraditional causes in agricultural communities in Central America: a case definition for surveillance / Caso clínico confirmado de enfermedad renal crónica de causas no tradicionales en comunidades agrícolas de Centroamérica: una definición de caso para la vigilancia

Over the last 20 years, many reports have described an excess of cases of chronic kidney disease (CKD) in the Pacific coastal area of Central America, mainly affecting male farmworkers and signaling a serious public health problem. Most of these cases are not associated with traditional risk factors for CKD, such as aging, diabetes mellitus, and hypertension. This CKD of nontraditional causes (CKDnT) might be linked to environmental and/or occupational exposure or working conditions, limited access to health services, and poverty. In response to a resolution approved by the Directing Council of the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) in 2013, PAHO, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and the Latin American Society of Nephrology and Hypertension (SLANH) organized a consultation process in order to expand knowledge on the epidemic of CKDnT and to develop appropriate surveillance instruments. The Clinical Working Group from SLANH was put in charge of finding a consensus definition of a confirmed clinical case of CKDnT. The resulting definition establishes mandatory criteria and exclusion criteria necessary for classifying a case of CKDnT. The definition includes a combination of universally accepted definitions of CKD and the main clinical manifestations of CKDnT. Based on the best available evidence, the Clinical Working Group also formulated general recommendations about clinical management that apply to any patient with CKDnT. Adhering to the definition of a confirmed clinical case of CKDnT and implementing it appropriately is expected to be a powerful instrument for understanding the prevalence of the epidemic, evaluating the results of interventions, and promoting appropriate advocacy and planning efforts

En los 20 últimos años, en muchos informes se ha descrito un número inusual de casos de enfermedad renal crónica (ERC) en la costa del Pacífico de Centroamérica, que afecta principalmente a trabajadores agrícolas varones y señala un grave problema de salud pública. La mayoría de estos casos no se asocia con los factores de riesgo tradicionales de ERC, como envejecimiento, diabetes mellitus e hipertensión. Esta ERC de causas no tradicionales (ERCnT) podría estar vinculada con la exposición laboral o ambiental o las condiciones de trabajo, el escaso acceso a los servicios de salud y la pobreza. En respuesta a una resolución aprobada por el Consejo Directivo de la Organización Panamericana de la Salud (OPS) en el 2013, la OPS, los Centros para el Control y la Prevención de Enfermedades de los Estados Unidos y la Sociedad Latinoamericana de Nefrología e Hipertensión (SLANH) organizaron un proceso de consulta para ampliar los conocimientos sobre la epidemia de ERCnT y elaborar instrumentos apropiados para la vigilancia. El Grupo Clínico de Trabajo de la SLANH tuvo la responsabilidad de consensuar una definición de caso clínico confirmado de ERCnT. En la definición resultante se establecen criterios obligatorios y criterios de exclusión necesarios para clasificar un caso como de ERCnT. La definición incluye una combinación de definiciones de ERC universalmente aceptadas y las principales manifestaciones clínicas de ERCnT. Sobre la base de los mejores datos científicos disponibles, el Grupo Clínico de Trabajo también formuló recomendaciones generales acerca del manejo clínico, que se aplican a cualquier paciente con ERCnT. Se espera que la adopción de la definición de caso confirmado de ERCnT y su aplicación adecuada sean una herramienta poderosa para conocer la prevalencia de la epidemia, evaluar los resultados de las intervenciones y promover acciones apropiadas de sensibilización y planificación.