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Haemodialysis in schizophrenia: a double blind study - preliminary report
Proceedings of the European Dialysis and Transplant Association. European Dialysis and Transplant Association
|January 1, 1979
Summary
Active haemodialysis showed therapeutic effects in schizophrenic patients, particularly improving affective symptoms. While both active and sham dialysis improved some patients, active dialysis was more effective for mood disturbances in schizophrenia.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Psychiatry
- Nephrology
Background:
- Schizophrenia is a complex psychiatric disorder with diverse symptomatology.
- The potential therapeutic role of extracorporeal procedures in psychiatric conditions remains an area of investigation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the therapeutic efficacy of active haemodialysis (AD) compared to sham dialysis (SD) in patients with acute schizophrenia.
- To investigate the impact of haemodialysis on both nuclear and affective symptoms of schizophrenia.
Main Methods:
- A double-blind, randomized study involving 12 acute schizophrenic patients.
- Patients underwent a 4-week treatment period with either AD or SD (two 5-hour sessions/week) after an 8-day drug washout.
- Psychopathological assessments used the Brief Psychiatry Rating Scale (BPRS) and Comprehensive Psychopathological Rating Scale (CPRS).
Main Results:
- Nine out of 12 patients showed improvement with either AD or SD.
- No significant difference was observed between AD and SD in improving core schizophrenic symptoms.
- Active haemodialysis demonstrated a statistically significant improvement in affective symptomatology compared to sham dialysis.
Conclusions:
- Haemodialysis may offer therapeutic benefits in schizophrenia, particularly for affective disturbances.
- The findings suggest a potential role for endogenous dialyzable substances in the pathogenesis of mood symptoms in schizophrenia.