To evaluate the prevalence, etiologic factors and therapy of hypertension in actively followed up transplant population in Saudi Arabia; we retrospectively reviewed the records of the active renal transplant patients at two large transplant centers in Riyadh and Jeddah in Saudi Arabia. These subjects were transplanted between January 1979 and November 1998. The patients were grouped according to the measurement of blood pressure; group 1 (considered normo-tensive): blood pressure below 140/90 mmHg, group2: blood pressure between 140­159/90-99, group 3: blood pressure 160-179/100-109 group 4: equal to or above 180/110. There were 1115 patients' records included in the study. The mean duration of transplantation was 66.9 ± 50.1 months. According to the level of measured blood pressure, there were 641 (57.5%) patients in the normotensive group (group 1), 404 (36.3%) patients in the mildly hypertensive group (group 2) 64 (5.7%) patients in the moderately severe hypertension group (group 3) and only six (0.5%) patients in the severe hypertension group (group 4). The estimated prevalence of hypertension in this study was almost 85%. We found no significant difference in the prevalence of hypertension in terms of gender, year of transplantation, duration of transplantation, type of donor, number of previous transplants, diagnosis of renal artery stenosis, etiology of kidney disease, diagnosis of diabetes after transplantation, diagnosis of cerebrovascular accidents, or mean dose of prednisolone and cyclosporine. There was a statistically significant association between increased level of blood pressure and old age (above 50 years), original disease associated with hypertension, history of hypertension on dialysis, acute rejection (once or more), presence of protienuria (more than 0.3 mg/day), abnormality of ECG, or serum creatinine above 300 µmol/L. We conclude that hypertension is highly prevalent in the renal transplant population in Saudi Arabia. Risk factors for the development of hypertension or its complication should be more aggressively approached in order to protect the patients and their grafts alike.

Factors associated with physical well being were examined in adults with end-stage renal disease (ESRD) in two large hemodialysis units of the Royal Medical Services in Jordan. Utilizing the Karnofski scale we measured the functional status of 200 Patients who had been on maintenance hemodialysis for at least 12 months. A Marnofski scale of less than 70 incidents frank disability (Inability to perform routine living activities without assistance), in addition current vocational status was assessed as well as any existing comorbid conditions. The mean age of the study group was 45.2 years (range 16 to 70) and included 108 (54%) males and 92 (46%) females, there were 39 (19.5%) diabetic patients and 27 (13.5%) patients were receiving erythropoietin (EPO). The mean hematocrit of the entire group was 27.8%. As measured by Karnofski scale, 64 (32%) of the patients were unable to perform routine living activity without assistance; dependence on wheelchair was reported by 9 (4.5%) patients. The mean comorbidity index of patients who scored less than 70 on the Karnofski scale was 1.5 compared to 0.7 for those who scored at least 70 on the same scale (p<0.001). Analysis of factors showed that age and diabetes mellitus affected functional status. Of the laboratory variables measured, only serum albumin concentration correlated significant with Karnofski scale. Fourteen (21.8%) of the patients who scored below 70, had serum albumin concentration above 40g/L compared to 66 (48.5%) of the patients who scored at least 70 on the Karnofski scale (p<0.001). We conclude that a significant proportion of patients on maintenance hemodialysis is functionally disabled. The elderly, diabetics, patients with high co-morbidity index and those with low serum albumin are most likely to have poor functional status.

Viral hepatitis, especially "C" type (HCV), is an important cause of morbidity and mortality among recipients of renal transplants. In a retrospective long-term study, we reviewed 399 renal transplant patients (133F, 266M) who received 415 kidneys during the past eight-years. We evaluated their HCV infection and liver status. Stored sera (frozen at 80 C) as well as fresh sera collected at the time of transplant and/or at the last observation were used. The donors were cadavers in 386 and living related in 29 renal transplants. The mean follow-up period was 74 months (range 24-124 months). At the time of transplantation 105 recipients (26%) were HCV positive. A the last follow-up 105 (26%) recipients remained positive, 12 (2.8%) seroconverted from negative to positive due to graft and/or blood transfusion and 277 remained negative. Liver biopsy was obtained from 71 to 117 (60.6%) HCV +ve patients. Liver biopsy showed normal histology in 57 (80%) patients, chronic active hepatitis in 42 (59%) patients according to scoring of Knodle's classification. Recurrence of glomerulonephritis in renal allografts occurred in 21 patients. Membrano proliferative glomerulonephritis (< PGN) occurred in nine patients; seven (78%) of them were HCV +ve compared to 29% HCV +ve in the whole group (117/399) (P<0.001). The actuarial patient and graft survival was similar in HCV-ve and HCV +ve patients. We conclude that HCV is an important cause of liver disease in renal allograft recipients, it might be the cause of recurrence of MPGN, however, it affects neither patients nor graft survival.

We reviewed the records of the renal transplant patients followed at our hospital to determine short-term outcome and complications. Sixty-five renal transplant patients, follow­up for two years were included in this study. Of these patients 40 (61.5%) were males, 33 (50.7%) were Saudis with mean age of 37.2 ± 11.7 years. Donors were living related (LRD) in 23 (35%), living non-related (LNRD) in 27 (42%) and cadaveric (CAD) in 15 (23%). Thirty­two transplants were carried out at Medinah, 21 in India and the rest in other centers inside Saudi Arabia. Immunosuppression was based on a triple therapy (Cyclosporin, Azathioprine, and Prednisone). At two years, 52 (80%) patients were alive, with functioning graft in 31 (58%). Causes of death among 13 patients (11 LNRD & 2 CAD) were infections in 7 (54%), immediate post transplant in three (22.7%), acute myocardial infarction in two (15.7%), CVA in one (7.6%). Complications encountered were acute rejection (23 episodes) in 18 923.6%) patients, infections in 19 (25%), chronic rejection in 16 (21.5%), surgical in 13 917.1%), diabetes mellitus in 5 (6.5%) primary non-function in three (3.8%) and Kaposi Sarcoma in two (2.4%). Twenty-six (81.25%) out of 32 transplants performed in Madinah were functioning, four (12.5%) patients returned to dialysis and two (6.25%) patients died. Among the 21 transplants done in India 11 (52%) patients died, six (28.6%) returned to dialysis, and four (19.4%) had function deteriorated in all patients. We conclude that despite limitations, results of renal transplantation carried out at Madinah are encouraging on short-term basis. Live related transplant has a very good outcome, while commercial transplantation carries poor prognosis.

Retroperitoneal fibrosis is an uncommon disease that often presents in a subtle manner. Only a few cases of the combined association of generalized atherosclerosis and retroperitoneal fibrosis are reported in the recent literature, supporting the view that the condition is probably an autoimmune periaortitis. We describe a typical case of retroperitoneal fibrosis associated with generalized atherosclerosis with clinical presentation of progressive renal insufficiency, and claudication from arterial compromise.

A nine-year-old male child with acute renal failure complicating serologically proven non-fulminating hepatitis A virus infection is being reported. This is rare complication. The patient required dialysis for two weeks and recovered completely with the return of his laboratory tests back to normal.

Congenital arteriovenous malformations are rare lesions of the kidneys. The first case of bilateral renal arteriovenous malformations was described in 1987. A case of extensive bilateral intrarenal arterivenous malformations presented to us as a case of hypertension. Renal angiography confirmed the diagnosis. Magnetic resonance angiography ruled out these malformations in cerebral circulation, and enhanced abdominal CT scan was normal. The blood pressure of the patient was controlled by medical therapy only.

Between October 1985 and the end of 1998, 259 renal transplantations were performed at Al-Mouassat University Hospital in Damascus, from living related donors (LRD). The age of the patients ranged from 14 to 57 years with a mean age of 31.1 years. There were 208 (80.3%) males and 51 (19.7%) females. The follow-up ranged from 1-159 months. The immunosupression therapy was azathioprine and prednisone in 71 patients, and cyclosporine, azathioprine and prednisone in 188 patients. The one, three and five year graft survival was 98.2%, 92.1% and 85.8% respectively. The one, three and five year patient survival was 99%, 97.2% and 90.1% respectively. The ten years overall patient survival was 70.2%. The incidence of complications encountered was acceptable and similar to that reported in the literature. Our study shows that the efficacy of the overall results in our center is comparable to that published in the western world.