Objectives: This study seeks to examine the characteristics and health-related quality of life (HRQL) of patients with uremic peripheral neuropathy.
Methods: Uremic patients undergoing maintenance hemodialysis (MHD) at our hospital were enrolled in this study. Data collection began in January 2011 and ended in June 2011. The patients were divided into two groups, the lesion group (110 cases) and the non-lesion group (168 cases), based on the presence or absence of peripheral neuropathy. To examine continuous changes in signs and symptoms in the lesion group, electromyography (EMG) was performed to measure sensory nerve conduction velocity (SCV), motor nerve conduction velocity (MCV), and distal latency (DL). Furthermore, HRQL was analyzed using the generic Short Form-36 (SF-36) questionnaire.
Results: Numbness and a burning sensation in the distal limbs were observed in the lesion group; in particular, these phenomena occurred in the upper limbs and the lower limbs in 3.6% (4/110) and 48.2% (53/110) of patients, respectively. With respect to motor symptoms, upper and lower limb weakness was observed in 1.8% (2/110) and 11.8% (13/110) of patients, respectively. Changes in physical signs were mainly evidenced by tendon reflexes, for example, areflexia, or tendon reflex loss was detected in the upper extremities, the knee tendon, and the Achilles tendon in 9.09% (10/110), 55.45% (61/110), and 35.5% (39/110) of patients, respectively. Relative to the non-lesion group, the lesion group had significantly slower average SCV and MCV as well as a longer average DL (p < 0.01 for all comparisons). Based on a clinical statistical analysis of SF-36 reports, scores on each scale were lower in the lesion group than in the non-lesion group. However, compared with the non-lesion group, the lesion group did not significantly differ with respect to overall SF-36 score (t = 1.896, p = 0.060) but did significantly differ with respect to bodily pain score (t = 5.301, p < 0.001).
Conclusions: Typical symptoms of uremic peripheral neuropathy include numbness of the limbs and changes in tendon reflexes. In this study, sensory nerves were damaged more severely than motor nerves, and lower extremity lesions were more frequent than upper limb lesions. Clinicians should devote greater attention to patients with uremic peripheral neuropathy and strive to continuously improve these patients' quality of life. .