Uremic neuropathy and the analysis of electrophysiological changes

Fourteen patients with chronic renal failure were clinically examined and electrodiagnostically tested before and after a single session of hemodialysis. The electrodiagnostic test conducted on the ulnar sensory and the tibial motor parts indicates that the sensory and motor evoked wave amplitudes increase after dialysis (p value < 5%) but there is little change in the nerve conduction velocity. Wave amplitude is related to number of actively participating axons in neural message transference, so a decrease in amplitude means a decrease in the number of active axons involved in the neural message transfer. The present findings indicate that in the process of dialysis some of the previously inactive axons become activated. The reason for the inactivation of the axons may be due to the accumulation of toxic substances in the body as a result of renal failure. After hemodialysis, most the toxic substances are removed from the body and this leads to an increase in the number of active axons.