Risk factors for cognitive impairment in chronic kidney disease: A cross-sectional study
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Sameeha Alshelleh 1 * , Hussein AlHawari 1 , Ayah A Eyalawwad 2 , Batool B Ahmad 3 , Chaima Karchoud 3 , Dana A Al-masaada 3 , Ghada T Alzoubi 3 , Hala S Aljboor 3 , Ruwa A Abuzneimah 3 , Ashraf Oweis 4 , Karem H Alzoubi 5 6
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1 Division of Nephrology, Department of Medicine, The University of Jordan, Amman, JORDAN2 Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, Hamad Medical Corporation, Doha, QATAR3 Department of Medicine, School of Medicine, The University of Jordan, Amman, JORDAN4 Division of Nephrology, Faculty of Medicine, Jordan University of Science and Technology, Irbid, JORDAN5 Department of Pharmacy Practice and Pharmacotherapeutics, College of Pharmacy, The University of Sharjah, Sharjah, UAE6 Department of Clinical Pharmacy, Faculty of Pharmacy, Jordan University of Science and Technology, Irbid, JORDAN* Corresponding Author

Abstract

Background: Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is a leading public health problem, affecting more than 800 million people worldwide. CKD is frequently associated with complications, including cardiovascular disease, anemia, osteoporosis, and cognitive impairment (CI), which can range from moderate to severe and impact patients’ quality of life. This study aims to test the prevalence of CI among patients with CKD and determine associated disease severity measures and elements related to CI.
Methods: This is a cross-sectional observational study done in a tertiary medical center in a developing country’s healthcare setting. A cohort of 319 patients with CKD has been recruited. The participants took the Montreal cognitive assessment (MoCA) test. Clinical variables included comorbidities, medications, and laboratory tests from patients’ electronic records. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was used to predict factors related to MoCA ratings of < 26 and ≥ 26 after adjusting for applicable covariates.
Results: 41.7% of the individuals had a MoCA score of less than 26, indicating mild CI. Factors significantly associated with cognitive problems included older age, lower educational attainment, reduced estimated glomerular filtration rate, advanced stage of CKD, and use of benzodiazepines.
Conclusion: The study highlights the high prevalence of CI among CKD patients and identifies several modifiable and non-modifiable risk factors. Early screening and targeted interventions should help reduce CKD patients’ mental suffering and CI.

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This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

Article Type: Original Article

ELECTRON J GEN MED, Volume 22, Issue 5, October 2025, Article No: em676

https://doi.org/10.29333/ejgm/16622

Publication date: 01 Sep 2025

Online publication date: 16 Jul 2025

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Article Downloads: 62

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