EVALUATION OF COGNITIVE CONSTRUCTS IN PATIENTS WITH CHRONIC KIDNEY DISEASE ON HEMODIALYSIS

Abstract

Patients with chronic kidney disease often have cognitive impairment, so the objective was to characterize and evaluate the presence of cognitive and executive dysfunctions in patients undergoing hemodialysis. The study is quantitative, exploratory, cross-sectional, where the following instruments were used: sociodemographic questionnaire, Montreal cognitive assessment basic, five-digit test, Barkley's executive dysfunction assessment scale and kidney disease quality of life short form. 25 individuals participated in the research, 52% of whom were female, with a mean age of ± 52 years, married, with more than 8 years of schooling and more than 02 years on dialysis. As for dysfunctions, 28% of general cognitive dysfunction and more than 24% prominent deficits in language, working memory, decision-making control and choices were identified. Regarding quality of life, the domains with the lowest scores were general health, emotional limitations, work, and kidney disease burden. The research indicates significant cognitive changes, more specifically in language, executive functions, orientation, language, abstraction, calculation, memory, attention, visual perception and concentration. The results may indicate important factors that interfere with the understanding of treatment and, consequently, adherence.