UdoZifko, MartinAuinger, GerhardAlbrecht, ThomasKastenbauer, HeinzLahrmann, Wolfgang Grisold, TheodorWanke

Background -Peripheral neuropathy and alterations indiaphragmatic musclefunctionarefrequently causedbyuraemia. Phrenicnervefunction inpatients with endstagerenalfailure, however, hasnot beenexamined todate. Methods -Anelectrophysiological study of thephrenic nervewasperformed todetermine itspossible involvement in32nondiabetic patients withendstage renaldiseaseundergoing chronic haemodialysis. Results -Seventeen patients hadelectrophysiological signsofperipheral neuropathy inatleast oneoftheinvestigated nerves and14ofthe17showedpathological phrenic nervelatencies. Delayed phrenic nervelatencies correlated clearly with pathological peroneal nerveconduction velocities. Conclusions -Phrenic neuropathy isafrequentcomplication ofuraemia. (Thorax 1995;50:793-794)