Search

The number of dialysis patients is increasing every year and is estimated to be more than 2 million, with an annual increase of 6–12% in dialysis programs. There is a high correlation between cognitive impairment and mortality in dialysis patients, which suggests the relevance of screening cognitive functions in dialysis patients using different neuropsychological scales.Aim of the study was to test the cognitive status and identify cognitive impairment in patients with terminal stage of chronic kidney disease treated using program hemodialysis, as well as to evaluate risk factors for cognitive impairment in this category of patients.Material and methods. 83 patients aged 28 to 78 years (mean age 56.7±13.7 years) were examined. The main group included 53 people who received program hemodialysis, of them 23 men and 30 women. The mean age of patients in this group was 58.3±13.3 years. The control group composed of 30 individuals without kidney diseases, including 13 men and 17 women. The mean age in the control group was 53.6±14.9 years. The MoCA and SLUMS scales were chosen for detecting cognitive impairment and assessment of neuropsychological status. We used mathematical methods of research data processing such as inductive statistics and correlation analysis.Results. Cognitive impairment was found to be significantly more frequent in dialysis patients (75.5–81.1% of cases, P=0.05) compared to those without kidney pathology. The SLUMS scale was shown to be more sensitive than MoCA (P=0.05, CI 95.0%). The risk factors of cognitive impairment in dialysis patients included increased dialysis duration, age (rs=–0.298) and low estimated urea dialysis adequacy index (Kt/V less than 1.2).Conclusion. A high risk of cognitive impairment is common in dialysis patients. For its timely detection, the screening neuropsychological test are recommended to be used by clinicians. Cognitive impairment, diagnosed by the tests, is an indication for a specialist consultation.

The outcome of chronic kidney disease (CKD) is frequently development of end-stage kidney failure that requires program hemodialysis (PHD). Increase of the longevity of long-term PHD patients is associated with continuous somatic and psychic stress for the patient, which might adversely affect the quality of life (QoL) of an end-stage CKD patient.Purpose: to determine the influence of age and dialysis duration on the QoL of end-stage CKD patients receiving PHD.Materials and methods. 50 patients receiving PHD (23 men and 27 women), aged 31 to 79 years, were examined. The mean age was 56.72±11.26 years. The PHD duration ranged between 1 month to 20 years, the average figure being 5.26±4.82 years. The control group included 50 healthy subjects of comparable gender and age. The QoL evaluation data were gathered through survey using the Russian version of SF-36 Questionnaire (Short Form Medical Outcomes Study), validated by the Institute of Clinical and Pharmacological Studies (Saint Petersburg) and analysis of case records.Results. As regards the scales of physical health, a decrease of the QoL of PHD patients was found as follows: РF-physical functioning (54.1±25.6 vs. 85.0±21.4), RP-role functioning related to physical condition (38.5±35.4 vs. 74.5±29.7), Pbodily pain (64.7±32.1 vs. 70.5±24.8), GH-general health condition (51.3±15.9 vs. 65.1±21.7). A trend towards inter-group difference was also discovered as regards the scales of vitality (VT) (53.7±19.5 vs. 61.0±19.4), social functioning (SF) (72.5±18.0 vs. 79.5±23.5). Multiple regression analysis established inverse relationship between the patient’s physical health component (PH) and age (rs=-0.317, P