Serum gastrin levels and gastroduodenal lesions in children with chronic renal failure on continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis: a single-center experience.

OBJECTIVE

The aim of this study was to determine serum gastrin levels and gastroduodenal lesions in children with chronic renal failure (CRF) on continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD).

METHODS

A total of 19 patients (mean age: 11.7±3.9 years, M/F: 1.37) with CRF on CAPD and 20 age-matched and sex-matched patients (mean age: 10.2±1.4 years, M/F: 1.5) with peptic ulcers were included in the study. Serum gastrin, creatinine, phosphate, and parathormone levels were determined. Upper gastrointestinal endoscopy was performed in all patients.

RESULTS

The basal gastrin concentrations of CAPD patients were significantly higher than those of patients with peptic ulcer disease without CRF (124.2±59.1 and 53.0±9.4 pg/ml, respectively) (P<0.001). A significant correlation was found between age, duration of uremia, and serum gastrin levels (r=0.59, P<0.01; r=0.60, P<0.01, respectively). No correlation was found between the duration of CAPD and serum gastrin levels in the patient group. Of the patients, 73.6% had abnormal upper gastrointestinal endoscopic findings. The gastroduodenal lesion observed was hemorrhagic gastritis (31.5%), followed by hemorrhagic gastroduodenitis (26.3%), gastric nodular gastritis (10.5%), and polyps (10.5%).

CONCLUSION

On the basis of our findings, such as higher serum gastrin levels in patients with CRF than those of the control group and the frequent endoscopic findings of gastroduodenal lesions in most of the patients, we recommend that an endoscopic examination should be considered for all the children with CRF on CAPD awaiting renal transplantation even if they are asymptomatic.