Evaluation Of The Electrical Activity Of The Brain In Children And Adult Uremic Patients

Purpose: Electroencephalography (EEG) is a study showing cerebral fitnctions and particularly important in neurological disorders where structural abnormalities in the brain cannot be demonstrated. Using EEG monitoring, we evaluated brain functions in pediatric and elderly population with uremia. Material and Method: EEG recordings of 30 adult and 27 pediatric chronic renal failure patients under hemodialysis therapy were evaluated. During EEG evaluations of pediatric patients, age related changes observed by EEG were also recorded and not considered as pathologic abnormalities. Results: In 24.6% of the patients (F=14), EEG results were within normal limits. The most frequently observed EEG abnormality was slow wave activity in both groups. Among thirty adult patients enrolled in the study, various abnormalities were observed in EEGs of 22 cases (73.3%). On the other hand, twenty one cases (77.8%) showed EEG abnormalities in children. When evaluated with respect to the presence of EEG abnormalities, a statistically significant difference was not detected between two age groups, shown in Table III (p=0.69). When adult and pediatric patients were compared, statistically significant differences were observed for EEG abnormalities (p <0.05). Discussion: In the early stages of uremia, EEG recordings are generally normal or decreases in amplitudes of potentials can be seen. After termination of acute encephalopathy, slow waves persist continuously Children are more affected than adults in uremia, therefore slow wave abnormality in EEG is more prominent in comparison to adults.