Prevalence of mild cognitive impairment in automated peritoneal dialysis patients.

Background Cognitive deterioration decreases quality of life, self-care and adherence to treatment, increasing mortality risk. There is scarce information of cognitive impairment in peritoneal dialysis, and data are controversial. Objective To determine the frequency and associated factors of cognitive impairment in patients on automated peritoneal dialysis (APD). Methods Cross-sectional study; 71 patients on APD underwent clinical, biochemical and cognitive function evaluation by means of the Mini Mental State Examination (MMSE) and the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA). Cognitive function was also evaluated in healthy controls. Results Mean age was 42 ± 16 years, 79% were men and dialysis vintage was 17 (7-32) months. In APD patients, cognitive impairment was present in 7% (mild deterioration) and 68% according to the MMSE and MoCA, respectively, and in 4% and 37% in the healthy controls. Patients with cognitive impairment (according to MoCA) were older, with lower educational degree, had more frequently diabetes, and higher serum glucose, as well as lower serum creatinine, phosphorus and sodium concentrations than patients with normal cognitive function. In multiple linear regression analysis, predictors for the MoCA score (R2 0.63, p = 0.002) were schooling [B = 0.54 (0.20 to 0.89), p = 0.003], age [B=-0.11 (-0.21 to -0.01), p = 0.04], serum sodium [B = 0.58 (0.05 to 1.11), p = 0.03] and creatinine concentrations [B = 3.9 (0.03 to 0.83), p = 0.03]. Conclusion In this sample of APD patients with mean age in the early 40 s, the prevalence of cognitive impairment by MoCA test was 65%, and it was associated to older age, lower educational level and lower serum concentrations of sodium and creatinine.