Endoscopic findings in chronic hemodialysis patients with upper gastrointestinal bleeding

Over a 7-year period 20 episodes of upper gastrointestinal bleeding in 18 patients on chronic hemodialysis were evaluated endoscopically. The site, type of lesion and outcome were studied. We confirm that 1) mucosal inflammation is more commonly found in these patients than that reported in upper gastrointestinal bleeding in the general population and 2) mortality of gastrointestinal bleeding is not higher in this subset of patients than in the general population. The indications for endoscopy in this population are better defined than in other upper gastrointestinal bleeders.