Background: Patients undergoing hemodialysis for chronic kidney disease (CKD) commonly have neurological problems. Both the central and peripheral nerve systems may be affected by these problems. Uremic encephalopathy, cognitive impairment, peripheral neuropathies, and uremic myopathy are all common neurological consequences in CKD.
Aim of the study: to detect neurophysiologic changes using electroencephalography (EEG), nerve conduction velocity (NCV) and electromyography (EMG) in children with CKD on regular hemodialysis and to correlate these changes with duration of dialysis and duration of disease.
Patients and Methods: thirty patients with CKD who are on regular hemodialysis at pediatric nephrology unit at Al-azher university hospital. With duration of hemodialysis range from (1-13) years.
Results: sixteen male and fourteen female mean age (13.50 ± 2.96). 16 cases (53%) had polyneuropathy, the majority of which was axonal polyneuropathy, whereas 46.6% had normal electrophysiological testing. There were no myopathic alterations found. Slowing background and epileptogenic discharges (generalised and focal temporal) were found in 33,3% of individuals with abnormal EEG results. There was a link between nerve conduction findings and serum potassium and phosphorus levels.
Conclusion: patients on hemodialysis are liable to develop neurological changes as detected by EEG, NCV and EMG due to uremic toxins and electrolytes disturbance. In our results most patients (53, 3%) showed nerve conduction changes (polyneuropathy) and abnormal EEG changes in (33, 3%). There was positive correlation between nerve conduction changes and both duration of disease, serum phosphorous and serum potassium.