An Assessment of Cognitive function in Chronic Kidney Disease

  • Research type

    Research Study

  • Full title

    Saccadic Eye Movements as an early indicator of cognitive impairment in patients with Chronic Kidney Disease

  • IRAS ID

    160390

  • Contact name

    Trevor Crawford

  • Contact email

    t.crawford@lancaster.ac.uk

  • Sponsor organisation

    Lancaster University

  • Duration of Study in the UK

    0 years, 11 months, 31 days

  • Research summary

    Chronic kidney disease (CKD)is major world disorder. There is a strong association between CKD and problems in such cognitive thinking skills, such as short term memory and the control of attention. CKD is a significant factor cognitive and physical decline especially in older adults. CKD is more common in old people. It affects 45% of persons older than 70 years of age and can double the risk for cognitive dysfunction. The aim of this project is to study the characteristics of cognitive dysfunction in patients the clinical stages of CKD (1-5) and adult dialysis patients.

    Many CKD patients not yet on dialysis and also patients on dialysis exhibit memory disturbance, slow motor performance and impaired attention. Moreover, the prevalence of cognitive impairment will continue to grow with increases in vascular risk factors which are also common in CKD and in older people. The prevalence of cognitive dysfunction in dialysis patients in recent studies was reported to be up to 60%, which is more than double the prevalence of cognitive dysfunction in the general population. However, the natural history and the exact prevalence of cognitive dysfunction are not fully understood in CKD patients.
    Although the association between cognitive dysfunction, early dementia and Alzheimer disease is well described in the general population but it is not clear in CKD and dialysis patients.
    The mortality rate for CKD stage 5 patients is high due to the increasing number of elderly patients, high cardiovascular risk and concurrent systemic illnesses among the dialysis population. Patients with cognitive impairment are at risk of progression to dementia. This research is also important given that cognitive impairment and early dementia have also been shown to affect mortality in dialysis patients.

  • REC name

    East Midlands - Nottingham 1 Research Ethics Committee

  • REC reference

    14/EM/1195

  • Date of REC Opinion

    5 Nov 2014

  • REC opinion

    Further Information Favourable Opinion