An adult male of Asian origin with end-stage kidney disease secondary to diabetic nephropathy, was found to have a persistent left-sided superior vena cava (PLSVC) that drained into the coronary sinus, without an associated right-sided SVC, following the placement of a haemodialysis catheter. A persistent left-sided SVC arises from the failure of obliteration of the embryological left anterior cardinal vein. It is a rare finding and is usually asymptomatic. Given that nephrologists manage patients who may require vascular access, knowledge of the possibility of vascular anomalies may assist in ..read more

This study aimed to understand the experiences of living renal donors at Tygerberg Hospital, a tertiary referral hospital in Cape Town, South Africa. A qualitative, descriptive phenomenological study design was used. Semistructured interviews were conducted with 12 kidney donors and transcribed verbatim. Thematic analysis was used, and the main themes that illustrated the donors’ motivation to provide their organs were: 1) to save a life, 2) interpersonal relationships and family acceptance, 3) selfless unsung heroes, 4) life after donation – it goes on, and 5) no regrets. Our findings highlig ..read more

The editors of AJN wish to thank the colleagues who generously gave of their time and expertise to review manuscripts for us during 2023. We greatly appreciate their contribution to the quality of the work that we publish ..read more

On behalf of the African Journal of Nephrology (AJN) editorial board, I wish all our contributors and readers a happy and prosperous new year. Welcome to 2024 and volume 27 of the Journal. The year 2023 was a pivotal one, in which the COVID-19 pandemic and its consequences receded. Some of the lessons learnt will continue to characterise our lives. We started the year with a very successful African Nephrology and Transplantation Summit in Cairo, a hybrid (in-person and virtual) congress. Continuing our progress, the AJN published four interesting reviews and 11 original articles, including one ..read more

Background: Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) is a global health concern associated with a high risk of cardiovascular disease, end-stage renal failure, and premature death. The interventions of pharmacists in chronic disease management have been promising. However, there is little evidence of pharmacist participation in CKD, particularly in developing nations. The objective of the study was to evaluate the impact of pharmacist intervention in improving medication adherence in patients with CKD. Methods: This double-arm randomized controlled study was carried out at the Nephrology outpatient depart ..read more

Without a strong bedrock of kidney research in African populations we are vulnerable to extrapolating research findings performed in non-African ancestry populations, mostly in high-income countries, with short- and long-term implications for individual and public health. This review tracks the evolution of kidney function testing, highlighting measured and estimated glomerular filtration rate (GFR) testing. While measured glomerular  filtration rate (mGFR) is the most accurate method, there are potential sources of error for each reference compound and regional preferences and availabili ..read more

Introduction: Elderly patients have an increased risk of kidney failure due to ageing and comorbidities. This study assessed survival among elderly patients starting maintenance haemodialysis at the Buea and Bamenda regional hospitals in Cameroon. Methods: We conducted a retrospective cohort study of elderly patients (65 years of age and older) who began maintenance haemodialysis between January 2016 and December 2020. The primary outcome of interest was survival at one year. Results: The proportion of elderly patients starting dialysis was 11%. There were 81 patients included in the study. Th ..read more

Background  C3 glomerulonephritis (C3GN) is a rare disease of the alternative complement pathway and is associated with poor kidney and patient outcomes. There are no studies from sub-Saharan Africa. We aimed to identify the incidence, describe the clinical features, and report on the time to the composite outcome of CKD, ESKD or death following kidney biopsy.   Methods  A retrospective cohort study of all adult patients with a kidney biopsy-confirmed diagnosis of C3GN was performed at our tertiary centre in Cape Town, South Africa, over a 16-year period. C3GN was defined as exc ..read more

La dysfonction érectile (DE) est fréquente dans la population hémodialysée chronique et a un impact négatif sur leur qualité de vie. Le but de notre étude était d’évaluer la prévalence de la DE et son retentissement psycho-social, puis identifier ses principaux facteurs associés. Patients et méthode : Il s’agissait d’une étude transversale, à visée descriptive et analytique dans 2 centres du Sénégal incluant tous les patients adultes de sexe masculin, hémodialysés de plus de 03 mois et ayant consenti librement de répondre aux items du questionnaire. L’appréciation de la fonction érectile ..read more

This is the tenth consecutive annual report of the South African Renal Registry since it was re-established and launched with the publication of the December 2012 data on kidney replacement therapy (KRT) in South Africa. The December 2021 data reported here indicate a stabilisation of the COVID-19-related decrease in patient numbers which was recorded in the previous report. There were 849 patients who started KRT in 2021, an incidence of 14.1 per million population (pmp). Most of these patients (80%) were treated in private centres. In December 2021, the total number of patients on treatment ..read more