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Dialysis of Schizophrenics Weird and Novel Applications of Dialysis, Hemofiltration, Hemoperfusion and Peritoneal Dialysis: Witchcraft?
Author(s) -
Kolff Willem J.
Publication year - 1978
Publication title -
artificial organs
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.684
H-Index - 76
eISSN - 1525-1594
pISSN - 0160-564X
DOI - 10.1111/j.1525-1594.1978.tb03466.x
Subject(s) - hemoperfusion , peritoneal dialysis , dialysis , medicine , ultrafiltration (renal) , schizophrenia (object oriented programming) , hemofiltration , hemodialysis , chemistry , chromatography , psychiatry
Dialysis resulted in a remarkable cure of 17 out of 24 patients treated in Gainesville, Florida and Louisville, Kentucky. The diagnosis of these patients was schizophrenia. However, the diagnosis of schizophrenia is often controversial. It is also very difficult to eliminate the placebo effect. Leucine 5 ‐endorphin was found in the dialyzing fluid of ten of these patients. Its concentration was Reported to be parallel to the clinical improvement. The finding of leucine 5 ‐endorphin has, as yet, not been confirmed in other laboratories. Cats injected with concentrate of the dialysate into the ventricles of their brains exhibited symptoms reminiscent of schizophrenia. Cats injected with a synthetic preparation of leucine 5 ‐endorphin exhibited the same symptoms. As yet, these experiments have not been repeated in other laboratories. If, indeed, leucine 5 ‐endorphin or a similar substance is removed with dialysis, then it can be calculated that ultrafiltration would be more effective than dialysis and peritoneal lavage might be quite effective for its removal. The double blind studies which have been started will be fraught with difficulties and will be very time consuming. On the other hand, verification of the finding of endorphin or another substance would be relatively quick since a large number of patients could be given one diagnostic ultrafiltration each. The ultrafiltrate might be tested chemically and biologically. If, indeed, a substance were found but not in normal people, then the presence of such a substance might, in turn, help to establish the diagnosis of schizophrenia.