Silent cerebral infarction in hemodialysis patients.
BACKGROUND
Cerebrovascular diseases are very common in hemodialysis (HD) patients. Silent cerebral infarction (SCI) has not been investigated in HD patients although it may be a significant risk factor for cerebrovascular diseases.


OBJECTIVE
Chronic renal failure may be an independent risk factor for SCI and cerebrovascular diseases.


METHODS
Cranial magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) was performed on 123 HD patients without symptomatic cerebrovascular disease and on 52 control subjects. We investigated the prevalence of SCI and performed cross-sectional study using multiple logistic analysis to assess the relationship between SCI and the risk factors.


RESULTS
The prevalence of SCI was significantly higher in HD patients than in the healthy control group (60 patients (48.8%) vs. 5 patients (9.6%), chi(2) = 22.4, p < 0.0001). Multiple logistic regression analysis with all subjects showed that independent risk factors of SCI were chronic renal failure, hypertension, smoking and age (R(2) = 0.468, p < 0.0001). In only the HD patient group, age and smoking were shown to be independent risk factors of SCI (R(2) = 0.378, p < 0.0001) while HD duration and hypertension were not.


CONCLUSIONS
The findings of the present study indicate that chronic renal failure maintained by hemodialysis increases the prevalence of SCI and that age and smoking habits are also significantly associated with SCI in HD patients.
Nakatani
Tatsuya
T
Department of Urology, Osaka City University Medical School, 1-4-3 Asahi-machi, Abeno-ku, Osaka 545-8585, Japan.
Naganuma
Toshihide
T
Uchida
Junji
J
Masuda
Chikayoshi
C
Wada
Seiji
S
Sugimura
Takeshi
T
Sugimura
Kazunobu
K
D000367:Age Factors; D001921:Brain / Q000473:pathology; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002544:Cerebral Infarction / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006400:Hematocrit; D006801:Humans; D007564:Japan / Q000453:epidemiology; D007676:Kidney Failure, Chronic / Q000150:complications*; D016015:Logistic Models; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D012044:Regression Analysis; D006435:Renal Dialysis / Q000009:adverse effects*; D012307:Risk Factors; D012907:Smoking / Q000009:adverse effects*