Association of brain white matter lesions and atrophy with cognitive function in chronic kidney disease

Cognitive impairment is common in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD), possibly leading to poor outcomes. However, the correlation between brain structural abnormalities and cognitive impairment remains unclear. The aim of this study was to investigate the impairment of specific cognitive domains and their association with brain structural abnormalities.

Patients with CKD of at least stage 3 who were not on hemodialysis were enrolled. All participants underwent comprehensive neuropsychological testing in five cognitive domains. Ventricular atrophy, sulcal atrophy, medial temporal atrophy, and white matter changes were assessed using brain magnetic resonance imaging according to standard protocols.

Eighty-seven patients and 50 controls were enrolled. Patients with CKD exhibited decreased cognitive function relative to controls. Compared with patients with stage 3 CKD, those with advanced stage (stages 4 or 5) had poorer cognitive performance, more pronounced white matter hyperintensity (WMH) and more severe ventricular atrophy. Among CKD patients, executive function (β = -.23, P = .043) and attention (β = -.29, P = .004) were associated with WMH in controlled analyses. However, no cognitive impairment was associated with ventricular atrophy.

Patients with CKD exhibited cognitive impairment and brain structural abnormalities including WMH and general brain atrophy. Impairment of attention and executive dysfunction were associated with WMH.