Epidemiologic and Clinical Aspects of Hemodialysis Patients in a Semi-Rural Setting at the Franceville Hemodialysis Center

Introduction: Hemodialysis has evolved significantly, allowing better management of patients with chronic renal failure. This progress has led to an increase in the life expectancy of these patients. Therefore, we conducted this study to evaluate the epidemiologic and clinical aspects of acute and chronic hemodialysis patients at the Franceville hemodialysis center in Gabon. Patients and Methods: This was a prospective, descriptive study covering a 3-year period from October 2021 to September 2024 at the Franceville Hemodialysis Center. All hemodialysis patients who voluntarily agreed to participate in the study were included. Epidemiologic, clinical, paraclinical and evolutionary data were collected for each hemodialysis patient. The statistical study was performed using Epi info 7.2.6 software. Results: One hundred and fifty-six patients were included in the study, with a male predominance (62.8%). The mean age was 49.92 years (05 - 81 years). The majority of patients had chronic renal insufficiency (63.46%). The underlying nephropathy of chronic renal failure (CRF) was dominated by nephroangiosclerosis (68.69%) and diabetes (21.21%). Acute renal failure (ARF) of infectious origin, including malaria (36.84%) and human immunodeficiency virus infection (19.3%), was the most common. Most patients (83.33%) underwent emergency dialysis. The most common biological disorders were anemia (95.5%) and hyperkalemia (47.44%). The most commonly used vascular access was the temporary catheter (78.4%). The outcome of patients with AKI and CKD was unfavorable in 29.82% and 45.45% of cases, respectively. Conclusions: Our study reveals several epidemio-clinical aspects of hemodialysis patients in a semi-rural setting. It calls for the implementation of necessary accompanying measures, such as the availability of certain drugs and examinations essential for the better management of hemodialysis patients at the Franceville hemodialysis center.