title: Memory and perceptuo-motor performance in Nigerians with chronic renal impairment.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  With the increasing prevalence of chronic renal failure among the indigenous African population, coupled with the emphasis on improvement in the quality of life, there is a need for reports on the cognitive functioning and the effect of the disease on the cognitive performance of affected individuals.
  
  
  METHODS
  Sixty consecutive non-dialyzed Nigerian patients with clinical and biochemical evidence of chronic renal failure and sixty healthy age-, sex- and education level-matched controls (volunteers) were studied using an automated neuro-psychological test battery (FePsy) to assess their memory and perceptuo-motor skills.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The chronic renal failure patients performed worse in both verbal and visual memory than controls (p<0.0001). The patients compared favorably with the controls on concentration ability (p>0.05), but their perceptuo-motor speed was retarded (p<0.001). The levels of creatinine (p<0.01) and urea (p<0.01) and the presence of hypertension (p<0.05), asterixis (p<0.05), exertional dyspnea (p<0.05), and vomiting (p<0.05) affected their memory performance, with creatinine level being the most potent variable (p=0.0015).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results of this study confirm the presence of cognitive impairments in Nigerians with chronic renal impairment and buttress the importance of its aggressive and prompt management.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, University of Benin Teaching Hospital, Benin City, Nigeria. bfunmi@uniben.edu
authors.forename: A Olubunmi
authors.initials: AO
authors.lastname: Ogunrin
authors.forename: Evelyn I
authors.initials: EI
authors.lastname: Unuigbe
authors.forename: Chuks
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Azubuike
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007676:Kidney Failure, Chronic / Q000150:complications* / Q000523:psychology*; D008297:Male; D008569:Memory Disorders / Q000209:etiology* / Q000523:psychology; D008875:Middle Aged; D009549:Nigeria; D011597:Psychomotor Performance