Risk Factors Associated with Chronic Kidney Disease Among Patients Presenting at Hemodialysis Unit at Bugando Medical Centre Mwanza-Tanzania.
- Mwanza, Tanzania | Catholic University of Health and Allied Sciences [CUHAS-Bugando] | 2024.
- 38 Pages Includes References
Background:
Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is a major global health issue, characterized by a gradual loss of kidney function over time. It affects nearly 10% of the world’s population and is associated with significant morbidity and mortality. CKD can progress to end-stage renal disease (ESRD), requiring renal replacement therapy such as dialysis or kidney transplantation. The prevalence of CKD is rising, driven by factors such as aging populations, increasing rates of diabetes, hypertension, and obesity(1).
Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is among non-communicable diseases (NCD) which cause significant morbidity and mortality globally. A recent systematic review and meta-analysis estimated that the global pooled prevalence of CKD was 13% in sub-Saharan(2). With prevalence estimates ranging between 5% and 15%. In Tanzania, CKD is reported to be present in 7% of the general population, while in urban areas, the prevalence among adults is estimated to be 15%.(3). In sub-Saharan Africa, the burden of CKD is exacerbated by limited healthcare resources and a high prevalence of infectious diseases alongside non-communicable diseases (NCDs). Tanzania, like many other countries in this region, faces significant challenges in addressing the healthcare needs of CKD patients. The Bugando Medical Centre in Mwanza, Tanzania, is one of the few tertiary care hospitals equipped with a hemodialysis unit, making it a critical facility for CKD management in the region(4).
CKD is associated with age-related renal function decline accelerated in hypertension, diabetes, obesity, use of herbal medication and primary renal disorders. Studies have shown that renal function, measured by estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR), tends to decline more rapidly in older adults, particularly those with hypertension, proteinuria, and smoking habits. This decline is exacerbated by other factors like low hemoglobin and diabetes, which consistently affect renal function across different age groups(5). Although cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the primary cause of morbidity and mortality, CKD is regarded as an accelerator of CVD risk and an independent risk factor for CVD events(6).
In a study of outpatients in North Western Tanzania, an alarmingly high prevalence (87.3%) of CKD was identified among adult patients attending diabetes mellitus clinic.15 In a community-based study conducted in Northern Tanzania, the overall prevalence of CKD was found to be 7%; and, of these patients, 19.3% had hypertension alone, 14.0% had both diabetes and hypertension, 7.0% had diabetes alone, 7.0% had HIV alone, and 3.5% had both HIV and hypertension. Efforts to improve CKD management in Tanzania focus on integrating CKD care into primary healthcare services, increasing public awareness about CKD risk factors, and enhancing the capacity of healthcare facilities like the Bugando Medical Centre to provide effective treatment and support for CKD patients(2). CKD severely affects patients’ health, lifestyle and wellbeing, and quality of life, its more and possible reason for this finding may be due to CKD patients with different complications were more likely on many drugs at the same time and may also be at advanced stage of CKD(7)
Wurzburg Road 35, Premises, Post Code: 33102 | P. O. Box 1464 Mwanza, Tanzania | Phone: (255) 28-298-3384 | Fax: (255) 28-298-3386 | Email: vc@bugando.ac.tz | Website: www.bugando.ac.tz.