Author(s)

Elimby Ngande Lionel Patrick Joel^1,2*, Nguea Ndjame Arlette^3,4, Fouda Menye Epouse Ebana Hermine Danielle^1,2

¹Faculty of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, The University of Yaounde I, Yaoundé, Cameroon.
²Nephrology Department, General Douala Hospital, Douala, Cameroon.
³Faculty of Medicine and Pharmaceutical Sciences, The University of Douala, Douala, Cameroon.
⁴Internal Medicine Department, Yaoundé Central Hospital, Yaoundé, Cameroon.

Background: The absence of local data on the survival of hemodialysis patients complicates the optimization of their care in Cameroon, a country characterized by a high prevalence of chronic kidney disease (CKD). This study, conducted at the hemodialysis unit of the General Hospital of Douala (GHGD), aimed to address this gap by assessing the 36-week survival of hemodialysis patients with CKD, thus providing essential data to enhance clinical practices and inform public health decisions. Methods: We conducted a prospective study at GHGD over a period of 9 months, monitoring 262 hemodialysis patients. Sociodemographic data, comorbidities, the presence of infections, adherence to regular hemodialysis sessions, and the week of death were collected using a structured survey form. The Kaplan-Meier estimator and Cox regression model were used to analyze patient survival. Results: The mean age of the patients was 49 ± 14 years. Adherence to hemodialysis sessions (HR = 0.19, p < 0.001) was associated with improved survival, while the presence of infections at the vascular access site (HR = 2.23, p = 0.05) and diabetes (HR = 3.31, p = 0.005) increased the risk of mortality. The probability of survival was significantly lower for patients with catheter infections (p < 0.001), particularly when the infecting agent was Burkholderia cepacia (p = 0.006), and for those who were divorced (p = 0.001). Conclusion: Strengthening infection prevention and providing psychosocial support for patients with CKD are crucial measures to improve patient care and develop public health strategies tailored to local needs.

Survival, CKD, Hemodialysis, Kaplan-Meier Estimator, Cox Model

Joel, E. , Arlette, N. and Danielle, F. (2024) Influence of Infections on the 36-Week Survival of Chronic Hemodialysis Patients at the Hemodialysis Unit of the General Hospital of Douala, Cameroon. Open Journal of Nephrology, 14, 593-608. doi: 10.4236/ojneph.2024.144053.