Fig 1.
The flowchart shows the number of volunteers participating in the inceptive examination and the 3-year follow-up, where some participants failed to undergo follow-up assessments. The 15 ESRD patients and 15 age-matched control subjects who participated from the inception through the 3-year follow-up constituted the study group. Finally, 13 ESRD patients and 13 age-matched control subjects were enrolled after excluding 2 ESRD patients and 2 healthy control subjects due to the development of abnormal brain lesions during the 3 years.
Table 1.
Demographic characteristics of participants.
Fig 2.
The post-processing steps of voxelwise DTI analysis.
After scalp stripping, individual whole-brain DTI maps are spatially normalized to an international consortium for brain mapping (ICBM) FA template using linear affine and non-linear diffeomorphic demon registrations. Subsequently, the normalized DTI maps are utilized in voxelwise DTI analysis to show the differences between ESRD patients and healthy controls.
Fig 3.
Group comparisons of the DTI indices between patient and control groups at the first scan.
Red-yellow colors show the regions with significantly higher AD (a-c), RD (d-f), MD (g-i), and significantly lower FA (j-l) values than control subjects. Color bars in the right-hand side indicate T-value.
Fig 4.
Group comparisons of the DTI indices between patient and control groups at the second scan.
Red-yellow colors show the regions with significantly higher RD (a-c), MD (d-f), and significantly lower FA (g-i) values than control subjects. Color bars in the right-hand side indicate T-value.
Fig 5.
Interaction analysis of the DTI indices of healthy controls between the two scans.
Red-yellow colors show the regions with significant increase of RD (a-c), MD (d-f), and FA (g-i) values in healthy controls after 3-years. Color bars in the right-hand side indicate T-value.
Fig 6.
Comparisons of DTI indices between ESRD patients and healthy controls in significant regions of interaction analysis.
In the significant regions, MD (a) and FA (b) values were significantly higher in healthy controls than in ESRD patients. Asterisks (*) indicate statistical significance (P < 0.05). Fmajor = forceps major; Fminor = forceps minor; SCC = splenium of corpus callosum; SCR = superior corona radiata; PCR = posterior corona radiata; SS = sagittal stratum; Lt. = left; Rt. = right.
Table 2.
Correlation Coefficients between DTI indices and CASI scores.
Fig 7.
Correlations of DTI indices and age in ESRD patients and healthy controls.
In whole-brain significant clusters, the correlation analysis showed significant correlations of DTI indices and age (a) in both ESRD patients (b) and healthy controls (c).