Dialysis disequilibrium syndrome induced by neoplastic meningitis in a patient receiving maintenance hemodialysis.
BACKGROUND
Dialysis disequilibrium syndrome is characterized by neurological symptoms resulting from cerebral edema, which occurs as a consequence of hemodialysis. Dialysis disequilibrium syndrome most often occurs in patients who have just started hemodialysis, during hemodialysis, or soon after hemodialysis; although it may also occur in patients who are under maintenance hemodialysis with pre-existing neurological disease.


METHODS
A 70-year-old woman, who had been receiving maintenance hemodialysis for one year, was diagnosed with ovarian cancer by ascites cytological examination. Two years later, she reported severe headache and nausea during hemodialysis and was diagnosed with dialysis disequilibrium syndrome. Although brain images revealed mild hydrocephalus without any mass lesions, poorly differentiated adenocarcinoma cells were detected in her cerebrospinal fluid. These findings indicated that DDS was induced by neoplastic meningitis due to ovarian cancer metastasis.


CONCLUSIONS
Neoplastic meningitis should be considered and excluded in hemodialysis patients with dialysis disequilibrium syndrome and malignancy by cytological examination of the cerebrospinal fluid even if cerebral imaging shows no obvious lesions. This is the first reported case of dialysis disequilibrium syndrome induced by neoplastic meningitis in a patient receiving maintenance hemodialysis.
Yohei
Y
Tsuchida
Takuma
T
Takata
Toshihiko
T
Ikarashi
Division of Clinical Nephrology and Rheumatology, Niigata University Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, 1-757 Asahimachi-dori, Niigata, Niigata 951-8510, Japan. niino@med.niigata-u.ac.jp.
Noriaki
N
Iino
Junichiro J
JJ
Kazama
Ichiei
I
Narita
D000368:Aged; D001929:Brain Edema / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000209:etiology*; D001932:Brain Neoplasms / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis*; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008581:Meningitis / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000209:etiology*; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology*; D006435:Renal Dialysis / Q000009:adverse effects*; D013577:Syndrome