INTRODUCTION: The objective of this study was to report the clinical characteristics and outcomes of children with end-stage renal disease under regular hemodialysis in a dialysis unit in Egypt. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Ninety children with end-stage renal disease were included in this study and their charts over the past 11 years (from January 2001 to January 2012) were reviewed. RESULTS: The mean age of the patients at the start of hemodialysis was 5.6 +/- 1.4 years. The main causes of end-stage renal disease were glomerular diseases (35.6%), unknown etiology (33.3%), and urological problems (17.8%). Hospital admissions were due to hypertensive attacks, cardiac problems, arteriovenous shunt complications, and infections. Only 3 children received a kidney transplant and 24 (26.7%) died during the 11-year follow-up. Eight patients died of heart failure, 5 due to sepsis, and 4 due to unexplained causes. CONCLUSIONS: Maintaining an appropriate care for children with end-stage renal disease is quite difficult in developing countries due to factors such as late referral, poor medical service utilization, limitation of financial resources, and limitations to transplantation. As a result, maintaining on hemodialysis for long periods imposes a high risk of complications.
INTRODUCTION: The objective of this study was to report the clinical characteristics and outcomes of children with end-stage renal disease under regular hemodialysis in a dialysis unit in Egypt. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Ninety children with end-stage renal disease were included in this study and their charts over the past 11 years (from January 2001 to January 2012) were reviewed. RESULTS: The mean age of the patients at the start of hemodialysis was 5.6 +/- 1.4 years. The main causes of end-stage renal disease were glomerular diseases (35.6%), unknown etiology (33.3%), and urological problems (17.8%). Hospital admissions were due to hypertensive attacks, cardiac problems, arteriovenous shunt complications, and infections. Only 3 children received a kidney transplant and 24 (26.7%) died during the 11-year follow-up. Eight patients died of heart failure, 5 due to sepsis, and 4 due to unexplained causes. CONCLUSIONS: Maintaining an appropriate care for children with end-stage renal disease is quite difficult in developing countries due to factors such as late referral, poor medical service utilization, limitation of financial resources, and limitations to transplantation. As a result, maintaining on hemodialysis for long periods imposes a high risk of complications.