BACKGROUND

Hemodialysis access is the lifeline of patients with end-stage renal disease. Factors that can affect access patency needs to be understood further to improve their longevity.

METHODS

This is a cross-sectional descriptive study that aims to describe the demographic, clinical and duplex scan profiles among patients who have undergone arteriovenous fistula (AVF) or graft duplex scan in a tertiary institution from 2017 to 2023.

RESULTS

There were 133 patients with 139 accesses studied. There were 86 AVFs and 53 arteriovenous grafts. Eighty-one studies were on males and 48 on females. Forty-seven were studies on the young (ageCONCLUSION

Age, gender, type of access and comorbidities can be related to the presence of access flow dysfunction. Larger prospective research is recommended to establish such associations.

Human ; Male ; Female ; Renal Dialysis

BACKGROUND

Hemodialysis access is the lifeline of patients with end-stage renal disease. Factors that can affect access patency needs to be understood further to improve their longevity.

METHODS

This is a cross-sectional descriptive study that aims to describe the demographic, clinical and duplex scan profiles among patients who have undergone arteriovenous fistula (AVF) or graft duplex scan in a tertiary institution from 2017 to 2023.

RESULTS

There were 133 patients with 139 accesses studied. There were 86 AVFs and 53 arteriovenous grafts. Eighty-one studies were on males and 48 on females. Forty-seven were studies on the young (ageCONCLUSION

Age, gender, type of access and comorbidities can be related to the presence of access flow dysfunction. Larger prospective research is recommended to establish such associations.

Human ; Male ; Female ; Renal Dialysis

BACKGROUND: Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has drastically changed lives, challenging all to adapt new norms and survive. Safety guidelines for physician have been set, yet fear for health and safety hounds the physician. OBJECTIVE: The aims of this study were to segment cardiologists’ viewpoints according to perceived stressors and coping mechanisms in their clinical practice during the COVID-19 pandemic and to draw implications to coping in the light of the model of salutogenesis. METHODS: Q methodology, a mixed-method type of research, was used after approval from the UST Hospital Research Ethics Committee. Using convenience sampling, 30 adult cardiologists were included in this study. Following an informed consent to participate, they ranked-order 33 statements that answer the questions: “What are the stressors has this COVID-19 pandemic brought in your clinical practice of cardiology? How did you cope?” This was done on a Q grid with two “most agree” statements and two “most disagree” statements (Q-sort). A short interview followed the sorting to understand their most agree and most disagree statements. Q-sorting and interview were done via teleconferencing and in person. The Q sorts were then entered into a web-based PQMethod software (http://schmolck.org qmethod/downpqdos.htm). Typologies were generated through inductive approach. RESULTS: Three typologies were generated: the profession-driven cardiologists, the protocoldriven cardiologists, and the faith-driven cardiologists. CONCLUSION This study painted different personas of cardiologists as they conduct their practice in this pandemic. These typologies enabled the formulation of individual and group salutogenic measures that can help health care providers cope in this COVID-19 pandemic.
Cardiology ; COVID-19