Gastroesophageal reflux disease in chronic renal failure patients: evaluation by endoscopic examination

The association between gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) and chronic renal failure (CRF) remains unclear. The aim of the present study is to assess the gastroendoscopic findings and the prevalence of GERD in CRF patients by endoscopic examination.

This study consisted of 156 CRF patients (97 men and 59 women, mean age: 64.2 years) whose creatinine level was more than 2 mg/dl and who underwent endoscopic examination. We checked their renal function, gastrointestinal symptoms and gastroendoscopical findings, and examined the relationship between renal function and gastroendoscopic findings, and the prevalence of GERD.

In the gastroendoscopic findings of the 156 CRF patients who underwent endoscopic examination, the prevalence of GERD was 34.0%. Especially, in symptomatic cases, the prevalence of GERD was 44.0%. In hemodialysis patients, the prevalence of GERD was 50.0%. The prevalence of GERD tended to increase as renal function become worse. There were statistically significant differences between the patients on hemodialysis and pre-dialysis in the prevalence of GERD (P < 0.01). The severity of GERD tended to be mild.

Compared to the reported prevalence of GERD in 6010 Japanese adults (16.3%), the prevalence of GERD in CRF patients, especially who underwent hemodialysis (50.0%), was increased.