Assessment of the upper gastrointestinal tract in hemodialysis patients awaiting renal transplantation.

Seventy-five dialysis patients awaiting renal transplantation were studied. Investigations included single contrast barium meal, serum gastrin assay, gastric acid studies, and fiberoptic gastroduodenoscopy with multiple biopsies. Radiological studies revealed five duodenal ulcers and one gastric ulcer. Endoscopy showed gastroduodenal lesions in 57 patients (49%). Superficial gastritis was present in 50 patients (66.7%), atrophic gastritis in 11 (14.6%), and duodenitis in 30 (40%). Hypergastrinemia was observed in 48 patients (64%). Maximum acid output was markedly elevated in 33 patients. Acid hypersecretion was found to be correlated with the presence of endoscopic lesions and histological evidence of gastritis. Nine of the 11 patients with atrophic gastritis were acid hyposecretors and had low gastrin levels. Pretransplant gastric assessment identified a relevant number of gastroduodenal lesions in these patients. The increased risk of severe posttransplant ulceration justifies thorough gastric assessment and prophylactic antiulcer therapy in all renal transplant candidates.