PSYCHIATRIC ASPECTS OF UREMIA
A. B. BAKER M. D.1, and
JULIAN KNUTSON M. D.1
1 The Department of Neuropsychiatry, University of Minnesota.
1. Uremia may result in irreversible damage to the central nervous system. These tissue changes may so disturb cerebral function as to result in a host of personality disorders.
2. A case of uremic psychosis is reported occurring in a 27-year-old male who had a blood urea nitrogen of 243 mg. percent.
3. Clinically a uremic psychosis may resemble almost any of the recognized varieties of the psychoses.
4. Certain features, when associated with any of the clinical forms of this illness, aid greatly in the diagnosis. These consist of: a rather sudden onset; poor physical health of the patient; frequent remissions during the course of the illness; associated neurological findings; and a poor prognosis usually with a lethal outcome.
5. A review of the literature is attempted with a listing of the types of clinical pictures described by the various authors.
