Abstract
Introduction: Studies have shown that patients with chronic kidney failure and patients under dialysis have a significantly augmented risk of developing cognitive damage compared to the general population.
Objectives: The purpose of this study was to explore cognitive function in people with end-stage kidney disease (ESKD) under hemodialysis or peritoneal dialysis who were referred to the dialysis center of Imam Reza Hospital in 2024.
Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional study included 200 patients (100 patients under hemodialysis and 100 patients under peritoneal dialysis). Through a standardized MMSE (mini-mental state examination) questionnaire, the cognitive function of the patients was examined and compared between the two groups.
Results: In this study, all variables of cognitive function including awareness of time (P<0.001), awareness of place (P<0.001), recall (P<0.001), attention and calculation (P<0.001), drawing (P=0.003), and MMSE total score (P<0.001) were significantly higher in patients under peritoneal dialysis in compared to patients under hemodialysis.
Conclusion: Cognitive function appears to be significantly better in patients with ESKD under peritoneal dialysis than in those under hemodialysis. Given the high prevalence of cognitive impairment and its association with adverse outcomes, routine cognitive screening and individualized management strategies should be considered, regardless of dialysis modality.