[Uremic neuropathy. Study of the motor conduction rate in patients treated with maintenance hemodialysis and peritoneal dialysis]

Abstract

Forty-four patients, treated with different systems of dialysis (peritoneal dialysis, two-weekly and three-weekly hemodialysis) have been controlled by electroneurographic, electromyographic and ematochimical examinations during a six months to five years period. The results can be summarized as follow: a) motor nerve conduction velocity of the peroneal nerve is reduced proportionally to the clinical status in all patients. Motor nerve conduction velocity of the ulnar nerve is reduced only in the most severe cases; b) there are no significant correlations between the examined ematochimical data and the maximal motor nerve conduction velocity; c) there is a slight improvement of the maximal motor nerve conduction velocity of the peroneal nerve when passing from a twelve hours two weekly dialytic treatment to a five hours three weekly hemodialytic treatment. Motor nerve conduction velocity is therefore a reliable index of insufficient or adequate dialysis. Moreover it is confirmed the efficacy of a treatment with short and frequent dialytic sessions.