[Electro-encephalographic study of the disequilibrium syndrome during bicarbonate dialysis and acetate dialysis]

Continuous long-time electroencephalographic (EEG) monitoring was performed during AHD and BHD in 20 patients. Persisting normal basic activity of the EEG without neurological symptoms could be found only during the course of BHD. However, in AHD, during the decrease of arterial CO2 tension (PaCO2) we registered EEG disturbances with moderate to severe slowing down, dysrythmic activity and high voltage discharges. The decrease in PaCO2 and the deterioration in EEG activity in the patients during AHD was concomitant with severe neurological alterations, e.g. the typical symptoms of so-called "disequilibrium" causing a cessation of dialysis in 3 patients.