Balkan Endemic Nephropathy (BEN) is a chronic tubulo-intestinal disease of unknown etiology with a specificity of appearance in the Danube Basin (Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia, Romania and Bulgaria).

To prove the difference in frequency and severity of various forms of dementia (Alzheimer's-AD, Vascular-VD and Mixed-MD) in patients with BEN and other forms of chronic renal insufficiency (CRI).

The research was conducted among 753 patients receiving dialysis, which are divided into two groups: experimental, which included subjects with BEN (n = 348) and control, which consisted of patients suffering from other types of CRI (n = 405). for this longitudinal study were used the following instruments: BHRRQ, EPQ, BAI, HDRS and MMSE. the results obtained with univariate and multivariate analysis.

Multivariate analysis found significant correlation of dementia with the age, years of receiving dialysis, compliance, TIA/RIND, earlier and current learning and psychoticism. BEN group: AD = 0.7%, VD = 4.1% and MD = 1.8%. Other forms of CRI: AD = 0.4%, VD = 2.7% and MD = 1.5%. Dialysis disequilibrium syndrome (DDS) has not been proven in the results.

There is a significant difference in the frequency and severity of dementia that develops in patients with BEN than in those with other forms of CRI. the most common form of dementia is vascular with higher incidence in BEN than other types of CRI. there is no evidence which connects dementia with DDS.