A Psychological Survey of Uremic Patients Being Considered for the Chronic Hemodialysis Program: Intellectual and Emotional Patterns in Uremic Patients

Seventeen uremic patients who were candidates for the chronic hemodialysis treatment program were administered a battery of psychological tests. The results showed a consistent pattern of intellectual deficit characteristic of persons with cortical dysfunction. Emotional reactions varied, with less than a third of the group manifesting somatic concern and depression. All of the patients could be categorized as possessing potential or subclinical psychiatric disturbance, although none was overtly psychotic. Correlations between the patients’ BUN levels and their intellectual functioning were found to be low and below statistical significance.