Gastric and pancreatic functions in haemodialyzed patients.

The aim of this work was to assess gastric acid secretion in relation to morphological and histological changes in the gastric mucosa as well as prevalence of Helicobacter pylori in chronically haemodialyzed uraemic patients. Exocrine pancreatic functions after secretin-cerulein test were also studied. In haemodialyzed patients low basal gastric acid output was found, whereas peak output after pentagastrin stimulation did not differ significantly when compared to controls. Endoscopy of gastric and duodenal mucosa revealed inflammatory changes in the majority of patients, described histologically as chronic gastritis with duodenitis. Helicobacter pylori antigen was detected in the serum of 45% of uraemic patients. Serum amylase activity was elevated in haemodialyzed patients relative to controls. Although clinically asymptomatic, haemodialyzed patients exhibited various degrees of gastrointestinal mucosal abnormalities and impairment in exocrine pancreatic functions, mainly low stimulated bicarbonate and protein output as well as low electrolyte concentrations in duodenal content.