title: Gastroesophageal reflux disease in hemodialysis patients.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The association between gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) and chronic renal failure (CRF) remains unclear. The aim of the present study is to assess the prevalence of GERD and also attempt to identify possible pathogenic factors in the development of reflux in hemodialysis (HD) patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  This study consisted of 418 stable CRF patients who underwent HD and did not necessarily undergo gastroendoscopy. Instead of gastroendoscopy, QUEST, a structured questionnaire for the assessment of symptomatic GERD, was used to diagnose GERD. We checked the age, sex, body mass index, etiology of renal disease, QUEST score, medication, alcohol consumption, smoking and laboratory data, and compared GERD group with non-GERD group.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In the 418 stable CRF patients who did not undergo gastroendoscopy, the prevalence of GERD was 24.2%. There were no statistically significant differences in age, sex, BMI, alcohol consumption, smoking, etiology of CRF, laboratory data and medication between GERD group and non-GERD group.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Compared to the reported prevalence of GERD in Japan (16.3%), the prevalence of GERD in CRF patients who underwent HD (24.2%), was increased. The risk factor for this increased GERD in CRF patients was not clear in the present study.
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterology, Tokai University School of Medicine, 143 Shimokasuya, Isehara, Kanagawa 259-1193, Japan. y711kawa@is.icc.u-tokai.ac.jp
authors.forename: Yoshiaki
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Kawaguchi
authors.forename: Tetsuya
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Mine
authors.forename: Ichiro
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Kawana
authors.forename: Hiroaki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Yasuzaki
authors.forename: Toshiharu
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kokuho
authors.forename: Yoshiyuki
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Toya
authors.forename: Toshimasa
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Ohnishi
authors.forename: Satoshi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Umemura
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D020776:Endoscopes, Gastrointestinal; D005260:Female; D005764:Gastroesophageal Reflux / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D006801:Humans; D007564:Japan / Q000453:epidemiology; D007676:Kidney Failure, Chronic / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000628:therapy; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D006435:Renal Dialysis / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012307:Risk Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D055815:Young Adult