High frequency of ulcers, not associated with Helicobacter pylori, in the stomach in the first year after kidney transplantation.

BACKGROUND

Although gastrointestinal (GI) symptoms are very frequent in organ transplant patients, there is a paucity of data about the endoscopic findings of kidney recipients.

METHODS

Two thousand one hundred and thirty-five kidney transplants were performed between 1994 and 2007. During that period, 672 gastroscopies were performed in 543 of those patients. Their mean age was 49.5 years and 56.9% were male. Immunosuppressive combinations included cyclosporine-mycophenolate-steroids, cyclosporine-steroids and tacrolimus-mycophenolate mofetil-steroids. Ninety-eight percent of the patients received acid suppression therapy.

RESULTS

The rate of clinically significant endoscopic findings was 84%. Macroscopic findings included inflammation in 46.7%, oesophagitis in 24.7%, ulcer in 16.9% and erosions in 14.8% of cases. Twenty-nine percent of endoscopies showed ulcer disease more frequently in the first 3 months (P=0.0014) after transplantation than later, and 45.7% of all ulcers developed in the first year. The presence of Helicobacter pylori was verified in 20.9% of cases, less than in the general, and also in the uraemic population (P<0.0001). There was no association between the presence of H. pylori and ulcers (P=0.28). Steroid pulse treatment for rejection was not associated with more ulcers (P=0.11); the use of mycophenolate mofetil increased the risk of erosions by 1.8-fold.

CONCLUSION

More than 25% of all kidney recipients required upper endoscopy in their 'post-transplant life'; the prevalence of 'positive findings' and ulcer disease was higher than in the general population (P<0.0001). The most vulnerable period is the first 3 months. Mycophenolate mofetil had an impact on GI complications, whilst the presence of H. pylori in the transplant population is not associated with the presence of ulcers.