Introduction:
Vascular access profoundly impacts the quality of care for chronic kidney disease (CKD) patients on hemodialysis (HD), with arteriovenous fistulas (AVFs) being recommended for their superior outcomes. However, due to accessibility challenges and limited technical expertise, the use of recommended access methods is likely limited in Tanzania and other Sub-Saharan African countries. Therefore, this study aims to describe the pattern of vascular access use among chronic kidney disease (CKD) patients on maintenance hemodialysis at Muhimbili National Hospital, highlighting previous and current practices as well as potential areas for improvement.
Methods:
A cross‑sectional study to describe the pattern of vascular access among patients with CKD on maintenance hemodialysis therapy was conducted at MNH in Dar es salaam. Descriptive statistics was used to summarized characteristics and pattern of vascular access.
Results:
We analyzed 200 study participants, with mean age of 53.3 years. Almost all participants (95.5%) were initiated on hemodialysis with non-tunneled central venous catheters (NTCVCs), and a substantial proportion (25.5%) continued to use NTCVCs. Despite this trend, a significant proportion of patients transitioned from NTCVCs to tunneled CVCs (39.5%) or arterio-venous fistulas (AVFs) (35%). The mean duration of NTCVC before transitioning to tunneled or AVF was 7.1 months.
Conclusions:
Our study highlights the prevalent use of non-tunneled central venous catheters (CVCs) as the primary vascular access method for CKD patients undergoing hemodialysis at Muhimbili National Hospital, Tanzania. These findings underscore the urgent need for interventions to improve access to AVFs and enhance vascular access management, ultimately optimizing patient outcomes in resource-limited settings
I have no potential conflict of interest to disclose.
I have no potential conflicts of interest
I did not use generative AI and AI-assisted technologies in the writing process.