Autopsy findings in maintenance hemodialysis patients.

From March, 1976 to June, 1983, 22 patients (10 males, 12 females) treated by maintenance hemodialysis were autopsied in our department. Primary diseases of the autopsied cases were chronic glomerulonephritis (12 cases), diabetes mellitus (three cases), hydronephrosis (three cases), systematic lupus erythematosus (two cases), myeloma kidney (one case) and atherosclerosing nephropathy (one case). Direct causes of death in maintenance hemodialysis patients were bleeding (six cases), uremia (three cases), infection (three cases), carcinoma (four cases), heart failure (two cases), myocardial infarction (one case), brain ischemia (one case), cardiac tamponade (one case) and unknown (one case).