[Neurological complications in uremia]

Neurological complications due to the uremic state or hemodialysis, contribute to the important cause of mortality in patients with uremia. Despite continuous advances in uremic treatment, many neurological complications of uremia, like uremic encephalopathy, peripheral neuropathy and myopathy fail to fully respond to hemodialysis. Moreover, hemodialysis or kidney transplantation may even induce neurological complications. Hemodialysis can directly or indirectly be associated with Wernicke's encephalopathy, dialytic dementia, dysequilibrium syndrome, cerebrovascular accidents, osmotic myelinolysis and mononeuropathy. Renal transplantation can give rise to rejection encephalopathy and acute femoral neuropathy. The use of immunosuppressive drugs after renal transplantation can cause reversible posterior leukoencephalopathy encephalopathy. The clinical, pathophysiological and therapeutical aspects of central nervous system, peripheral nervous system and myopathy complications in uremia are reviewed.