Abstract

Fifty-one regular hemodialysis patients underwent clinicodermatologic examination. Twenty-three of them were on regular hemodialysis for 2-3 years (group I), 28 patients for more than 8 years (group II). Both groups were matched in regard to primary kidney disease, age, and sex. A characteristic feature found was a marked premature aging of the skin, mainly imposing as actinic elastosis. The incidence was related to the duration of hemodialysis (56.5% of patients of the first group and 100% of patients of the second group). There was also a correlation between time on hemodialysis and an increase of skin pigmentation. Other phenomena like xeroderma, decrease of sebaceous and sweat gland secretion, and Raynaud syndrome were also seen more frequently in the second group, but the extent of these alterations was equal in both groups. Seventy-eight percent of the patients of the first group and 43% of the second group suffered from generalized pruritus. Two different froms of pruritus could be observed, one possibly atopic, only occurring during regular hemodialysis, the other occurring independent of hemodialysis. accumulation of rare phenomena like carpal-tunnel syndrome and Dupuytren's contractures in group II together with the frequent occurrence of actinic elastosis implies systemic disturbance of collagen metabolism in long-term regular hemodialysis patients.