Prevalence of gastroduodenal lesions in uremic patients undergoing dialysis and after renal transplantation.

Upper gastrointestinal endoscopic examination showed lesions in 28 of 112 dialysis uremic patients and in 19 of 52 after renal transplantation. Most patients with and without lesions were symptom free. A significant increase in gastric acid secretion was found in patients with transplant as compared with dialysis uremic patients. The prevalence of ulcer in the dialysis group was not increased compared with the general population, whereas it was increased in the group with transplantation. An increase of duodenal and a decrease of gastric lesions (ulcers and erosions) in the group with transplantation compared with the dialysis group was found. The importance of a systematic upper gastrointestinal endoscopic survey in hemodialyzed and transplanted patients is stressed.