Gastric mucosal hexosamine contents in patients with renal diseases

Since gastric mucosal lesions are frequently encountered in patients with renal disease, we measured the gastric mucosal hexosamine (Hx) content in 51 patients with renal disease. Endoscopic examination revealed that nearly half of the patients had erosive gastritis, and that duodenal ulcers (Dus) were more common than gastric ulcers (Gus). The gastroduodenal lesions were increased in patients with advanced renal dysfunction. The relationship between Hx content and various indicators of renal function, including creatinine clearance (Ccr), serum creatinine (cr), blood urea nitrogen (BUN), and 24-h urine protein excretion, were also evaluated. The Hx content decreased in the early stage of renal dysfunction. However, it returned to normal to near normal levels in advanced renal disease and patients who underwent hemodialysis. Since the Hx content was decreased in the early stage of renal dysfunction, careful follow-up appears to be necessary in patients with renal disease.