Related Experiment Videos
Conjunctival and corneal changes in chronic renal failure patients treated with maintenance hemodialysis
Insights
Conjunctival and corneal calcifications are frequent in hemodialysis patients, increasing with age and treatment duration. However, key serum markers did not correlate with these calcium deposits.
Area of Science:
- Ophthalmology
- Nephrology
- Biochemistry
Background:
- Conjunctival and corneal calcifications are known complications in patients undergoing hemodialysis (HD).
- These calcifications involve calcium salt depositions in ocular tissues.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the prevalence and characteristics of conjunctival and corneal calcifications in hemodialysis patients.
- To explore potential correlations between calcifications, patient demographics, HD duration, and serum biochemical markers.
Main Methods:
- Ophthalmic examination of 14 hemodialysis patients to assess for conjunctival and corneal calcifications.
- Correlation analysis with patient age, duration of hemodialysis treatment, and serum levels of calcium, phosphate, calcium-phosphate product, and parathyroid hormone.
Main Results:
- Conjunctival and corneal calcifications were detected in 11 out of 14 (79%) patients.
- Patients with calcifications were older and had longer hemodialysis treatment durations compared to those without.
- No significant differences in serum calcium, phosphate, calcium-phosphate product, or parathyroid hormone levels were observed between patients with and without calcifications.
Conclusions:
- Ocular calcifications are highly prevalent in hemodialysis patients, particularly in older individuals and those on long-term treatment.
- Standard serum biochemical markers do not appear to predict the presence or severity of these calcifications in the studied cohort.
Abstract:
Conjunctival and corneal depositions of calcium salts are common complications in hemodialysis (HD) patients. We examined 14 HD patients; in 11 (79%), typical conjunctival and corneal calcifications were found. Patients with calcifications were older than those without. Patients treated longer with HD were found to have a higher grade of calcifications. We did not find the highest grade of calcifications in our patients. Serum calcium, phosphate, product of calcium and phosphate and parathyroid hormone concentration did not differ in patients with or without calcifications.