| Theme | Functional and Organic Changes of Brain Observed in Dialysis Patients | |
|---|---|---|
| Title | Depressed brain oxygen metabolism in chronic hemodialysis patients | |
| Publish Date | 1997/02 | |
| Author | Hideki Hirakata | The Kidney Care Unit, Faculty of Medicine, Kyushu University |
| Author | Itsuko Ishida | The Kidney Care Unit, Faculty of Medicine, Kyushu University |
| [ Summary ] | Brain function is based on individual nerve-cell activities which depend on both oxygen and glucose delivered by the blood flow. Measurements of cerebral blood flow and the metabolic rate for either oxygen or glucose are known to be useful indices of brain function. In chronic hemodialysis patients, we found that the depressed cerebral oxygen metabolism irrespective of anemia degree is a characteristic feature and that the patients with a longer hemodialysis duration had significantly lower cerebral blood flow and oxygen metabolism especially in the frontal cortex. Cerebral blood flow has also been found to decrease after a single hemodialysis in association with a significant increase in both hematocrit and blood viscosity. These observations are reported to be more pronounced in the patients who have severe stenosis in main arterial branches, and thus have a higher risk of ischemic cerebral injuries. In Japan, chronic hemodialysis treatment has developed to guarantee a longer survival after the renal death. However, we have encountered the unexpected complications including dialysis-related amyloidosis and brain dysfunction, both of which markedly diminish patient's QOL. In this context, the strategies for brain protection should be investigated to confirm a better QOL. | |