[Posterior reversible encephalopathy syndrome (PRES) and chronic kidney disease]

Posterior reversible encephalopathy (PRES) is a recently described syndrome, defined by clinical and neuroimaging features. Chronic kidney disease patients may be especially vulnerable to this syndrome because they are frequently exposed to several of its possible causes, including uremia and hypertension. In its most severe form, PRES can manifest clinically as seizures, coma or death. However, if properly diagnosed and treated, this syndrome can be completely reversible. Therefore, neuroimaging methods, especially brain magnetic resonance is fundamental for its diagnosis because it shows brain edema in characteristic pattern, and excludes causes of seizures or coma. An important example is the case of a young hypertensive chronic kidney disease patient on peritoneal dialysis, brought to the emergency room comatous with generalized tonic-clonic seizures; the cerebral magnetic resonance imaging features were impressive. Anti-hypertensive therapy and hemodialysis allowed complete recovery. The reversibility of this syndrome depends on timely diagnosis and therapy and therefore it should be kept in mind in the differential diagnosis of seizures. or coma in chronic kidney disease patients.