[The locomotor system in irreversible renal failure treated with regular dialysis]

Changes of the locomotor apparatus in prolonged uraemia with regular dialyzation treatment determine the quality of life with all its consequences for the patient. The greatest impact on osteodystrophic disease (the most typical finding on the skeleton) is exerted by the length of dialyzation treatment. Of 216 patients having regular dialyzation treatment in 1979 to 1992 the authors observed osteodystrophic disease in 25, i.e. 11.6%. As to other most frequently observed changes they recorded osteoporosis in 12.9%, only very rarely osteomalacia and even osteopetrosis (1.8%). Carpal tunnel syndrome was recorded in 17.4% as a symptom of so-called dialyzation amyloidosis and in one man they observed the development of typical rheumatoid arthritis shortly after the onset of haemodialyzation. This is a rare observation not described in the literature so far. Crystalline arthropathy, incl. typical attacks of gout, were recorded only in 11 patients (5%). Changes on the locomotor apparatus in conjunction with irreversible renal failure with regular dialyzation treatment were recorded in 45%. It is important to differentiate findings which are not associated with uraemia and haemodialysis. This applies in particular to osteoarthritis deformans of the joints and spine. In major uraemic changes participates in particular secondary hyperparathyroidism. These changes comprise in particular osteolysis or even spontaneous absorption, erosive changes and destructive spondylopathy. Contemporary findings on the locomotor apparatus are so varied that they must be classified.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)