Evaluation of the upper gastrointestinal tract in uraemic patients undergoing haemodialysis

Purpose of the study. This study was performed to determine the gastrointestinal symptoms, endoscopic and histopathological findings in patients on maintenance haemodialysis. Study design. Ninety-two patients on haemodialysis were enrolled in this study and 100 consecutive dyspeptic patients referred for endoscopy served as controls. They were interviewed to obtain information regarding GI symptoms and endoscopy was performed and biopsies were taken from antral mucosa for histopathological evaluation and helicobacter identification. Results. Prevalence of GI symptoms in the dialysis group was extremely common (77%); with more cases in those with periods of dialysis longer than 6 months. Endoscopically observed hiatus hernia was present in 27 patients in the dialysis group versus 14 in the control group (P<0.02). Duodenal ulcers were present in three patients of the dialysis group compared with 16 in the control group (P<0.01). Histologically, chronic superficial gastritis and mucosal atrophy tended to be more common in the dialysed patients, but this difference was not statistically significant. Helicobacter pylori were present in 45 patients in the dialysis group versus 73 in the control group (P<0.01).