Attention and mental processing speed in hemodialysis patients.

It has remained unclear whether well-dialyzed patients with end-stage renal disease (ESRD) show persisting neurocognitive deficits, especially in tasks that depend on sustained attention or psychomotor speed. We administered a battery of six attentional measures to 10 stable hemodialysis (HD) patients (age, 61+/-16 years; education, 12.4+/-3.8 years; Kt/V, 1.35+/-0.07) and 10 matched controls with normal renal function (age, 62+/-10 years; education, 11.6+/-1.0 years; estimated creatinine clearance, 92+/-25 mL/min). Results of the Trailmaking Test, Paced Auditory Serial Addition Test, Stroop Test, Digit Span, Continuous Performance Test (CPT), and Gordon Diagnostic System did not differ between groups. We conclude it is unlikely that well-dialyzed patients with ESRD manifest significant uremic neurocognitive deficits in the functional spheres related to sustained attention or mental processing speed.