[Hemodialysis in patients with chronic schizophrenia (author's transl)]

In an open study three chronically schizophrenic patients with normal kidney function were treated by hemodialysis in an attempt to ameliorate their psychotic symptoms. Neuroleptic treatment was stopped at least four weeks prior to hemodialysis. The patients were dialysed once weekly for twelve (in one case eleven) weeks. Psychopathology was evaluated using the IMPS, BPRS and NOSIE. No patient showed any improvement during the course of dialysis, one patient showed a marked detrioration. These observations raise doubts about whether schizophrenic psychoses can be improved by means of hemodialysis as previously published by Wagemaker (1977).