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[Ocular complications in patients undergoing long-term hemodialysis and renal transplants from cadavers]
Insights
Renal transplantation leads to more ocular complications like cataracts and hypertension than chronic hemodialysis. However, vision loss is often manageable with cataract surgery in transplant patients.
Area of Science:
- Ophthalmology
- Nephrology
Context:
- Chronic kidney disease management involves renal replacement therapies such as hemodialysis and renal transplantation.
- Long-term effects of these treatments on ocular health require thorough investigation.
Purpose:
- To compare the incidence and severity of ocular complications in patients undergoing chronic hemodialysis versus those with a functioning renal transplant.
Summary:
- The study evaluated 36 hemodialysis patients and 36 renal transplant recipients.
- Ocular findings in hemodialysis included lens opacities (9), corneal calcifications (7), and hypertensive fundus (8), with no vision reduction.
- Renal transplant patients exhibited higher rates of lens opacities (28), hypertensive fundus (7), and intraocular hypertension (1), with 9 experiencing significant vision reduction. Infections like herpes keratitis and endophthalmitis were also noted.
Impact:
- Renal transplantation is associated with a higher incidence of ocular complications compared to hemodialysis.
- Despite increased complications, surgical correction of cataracts can mitigate significant visual impairment in transplant recipients, aiding rehabilitation.
Abstract:
In 36 subjects in chronic hemodialysis treatment and in 36 patients with a renal transplant, well functioning for more than one year, the ocular complications related to the specific form of treatment were evaluated and compared. In the group of the dialyzed subjects ocular pathology was composed by: lens opacities in 9 cases, corneal calcifications in 7 cases, hypertensive fundus in 8 cases. In no patient these lesions produced measurable visus reductions. In the transplant group ocular pathology was composed by: lens opacities in 28 patients, hypertensive fundus in 7 and intraocular hypertension in one. One case of herpes cheratytis and one case of endophtalmytis have also been observed. In 9 patients these lesions produced a remarkable visus reduction. In conclusion renal transplantation shows a greater incidence of ocular complications if compared to hemodialysis. This situation has not important consequences on the rehabilitation of the transplanted subject for the possibility of surgical correction of the cataract.