Clinical and psychological test findings in cerebral dyspraxia associated with hemodialysis

Cerebral dyspraxia associated with hemodialysis is a progressive, fatal syndrome. Patients suffer from a combination of psychiatric and neurological signs and symptoms. Psychiatric manifestations include anxiety, depression, paranoid ideation, and a progressive dementia with impaired concentration, decreased memory, personality changes, and hallucinations. Neurological findings include deliberate speech, stuttering, dysarthria, dyspraxia of speech and movement, tremulousness, myoclonic activity, asterixis, and seizures. These symptoms are aggravated during and immediately following dialysis. Patients usually die within 6 months of its onset. The etiology is unknown. Treatment efforts have failed to reverse its course. Recognition of this syndrome is highlighted so that informed, critical decisions can be made as to whether to continue dialysis therapy.