The Peripheral Nerve Function in Chronic Renal Failure

Abstract

Abstract. Serial determinations of the sensory and motor nerve conduction, and of the vibratory perception threshold (VPT), and serial clinical neurological examinations have been performed in 16 patients during progressive renal failure and/or regular hemodialysis. During progressive renal failure a gradual and almost equal slowing of the nerve conduction was observed in lower as well as in upper extremities, although clinical neuropathy was prevalent in the lower extremities. In contrast to the gradual slowing of the nerve conduction, clinical findings usually developed abruptly, the first indication being a sudden rise in VPT. During regular hemodialysis there was no further slowing of the nerve conduction, nor was there any significant improvement. Despite this fact a marked decrease in VPT occurred within the first months, followed by a somewhat slower remission of other clinical findings. The present study thus confirms and adds further evidence to an existing dissociation between clinical findings and nerve conduction data, demonstrated in a previous study based on single observations in a larger material of patients with varying degree of renal failure. With the aim of preventing clinical neuropathy, VPT is advocated as the most valuable and simple method among the neurological variables studied for the selection of the optimal time for institution of regular hemodialytic treatment.

The history of Danish neuroscience

“…Viggo Kamp Nielsen (1936–2012) followed Juul‐Jensen as chief of clinical neurophysiology in Aarhus. His research dealt to a large extent with peripheral nerves, for example, with peripheral nerve function in renal failure and with carpal tunnel syndrome among slaughterhouse workers (Frost et al, 1998; Nielsen, 1974).…”