Patients with end-stage renal disease were at an increased risk of hospitalization for acute diverticulitis

Gastrointestinal disease in end-stage renal disease

When kidney function declines to a point where it can no longer maintain life and requires renal replacement therapy (i.e. renal transplant or dialysis), it is called end-stage renal disease (ESRD). Patients with ESRD often experience a range of gastrointestinal (GI) symptoms, with prevalence rates reported as high as 77%-79%. These symptoms and pathologies arise from various factors, including electrolyte imbalance, fluid imbalance, toxin buildup, uremia, medications, dietary and lifestyle restrictions, and the effects of dialysis. GI diseases in patients with renal failure can be further categorized into upper GI, small bowel, and lower GI issues. Common conditions include gastroesophageal reflux disease, nausea and vomiting, dysmotility within the esophagus and stomach, upper GI bleeding, peptic ulcer bleeding, angioectasia, irritable bowel syndrome, mesenteric ischemia, angiodysplasia, diverticular disease, constipation, pancreatitis, and diseases associated with peritoneal dialysis peritonitis and peritoneal stenosis. This review assesses the existing literature on the different GI diseases among individuals with ESRD, shedding light on their pathophysiology and prevalence.

The structure of gastrointestinal tract pathology in patients receiving hemodialysis treatment

BACKGROUND. Hemodialysis patients are characterized by a wide range of concomitant diseases, including cardiovascular, bone mineral, nutritional, cognitive, various metabolic disorders and anemia. Meanwhile, gastrointestinal tract disorders in these patients remains largely unexplored. Patients receiving treatment with programmed hemodialysis are characterized by a wide range of concomitant diseases, including cardiovascular, bone mineral, nutritional, cognitive, various metabolic disorders and anemia. Meanwhile, the pathology of the gastrointestinal tract in this category of patients remains largely unexplored.

AIM: to investigate the structure of digestive diseases in patients receiving hemodialysis treatment.

PATIENTS AND METHODS. This study included 180 hemodialysis patients. The median age was 60[47;68] years. Gastrointestinal Symptoms Questionnaire (GSQ) was used to evaluate gastrointestinal symptoms over the last month. The results of abdomen ultrasound, gastroscopy, colonoscopy, and complex laboratory examination were also analyzed.

RESULTS. The overall prevalence of gastrointestinal symptoms was 77.2 % (139/180). The most frequent complaints were constipation (46.8 %) and abdominal pain (41 %). The most common stool frequency was one bowel action per day. The third, fourth, fifth type of stool according to the Bristol Stool Form Scale were noted by the majority of participants. Abdominal ultrasound revealed diffuse liver changes in 115 (63.9 %), signs of cirrhosis – in 7(3.9 %) patients. Ultrasound pathology of the gallbladder was represented by anomalies of its shape in 11.1 %, signs of chronic cholecystitis – in 10 %, stones (sludge) – in 7.2 %, polyps – in 2.2 % of patients. Diffuse changes in pancreatic parenchyma, steatosis, pseudocysts and dilatation of the main pancreatic duct were diagnosed respectively in 39(21,7 %), 21(11,7 %), 10(5,6 %) and 3(1.7 %) hemodialysis patients. According to 154 gastroscopies, the most common endoscopic finding in the stomach was chronic gastritis, detected in 86(55.8 %) of the subjects. Erosive gastritis was diagnosed in 22(14.3 %), gastric ulcer – in 3(2.0 %) patients. Endoscopic duodenal pathology was represented by erythematous duodenitis in 53(34.4 %), erosive duodenitis in 15(9.7 %), ulcer in 2(1.3 %), duodenal bulb abnormalities in 23(14.9 %) patients. Combined gastric and duodenal lesions were found in 88(57.1 %) patients. Сolonoscopy was performed in 56 patients, of whom 15 (26.8 %) had signs of colitis (mainly sigmoiditis), 2(3.6 %) – diverticulitis, 10(17.9 %) – diverticulosis, 12(21.4 %) – colon polyps, 8(14.3 %) – angiodysplasia mucosa, in 3(5.4 %) – dolichocolon. Despite the abundance of gastrointestinal symptoms and instrumental findings, no significant deviations in laboratory parameters (including an increase in AST, ALT, total bilirubin, amylase, lipase) were found.

CONCLUSION. Hemodialysis patients are characterized by a high prevalence of gastrointestinal symptoms and various pathological changes in the gastrointestinal tract, the diagnosis and treatment of which require an individual multidisciplinary approach.

Particular aspects of gastroenterological disorders in chronic kidney disease and end-stage renal disease patients: a clinically focused review

Besides renal disease, gastrointestinal (GI) disorders are frequently reported in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) and end-stage renal disease (ESRD). Related gastrointestinal symptoms tend to increase as the renal disease progresses. Also, in patients with ESRD, the modality of dialysis is related to particular forms of GI disorders.The kidney can interact with the digestive organs through functional endogenous systems such as the 'kidney-colon axis' and the 'kidney-liver axis'. Digestive diseases are one of the visible manifestations of the disturbance between hemostatic, hemodynamic and immunological balance in such patients.No clear management guidelines currently exist for many of the gastrointestinal problems that accompany renal failure. This review aims to describe the particular aspects of GI diseases present in CKD/ESRD. We focus our discussion in the specificities of epidemiology, diagnosis, and prognosis of such disorders between the different segments of the digestive system.

Constipation in CKD

Constipation is one of the most common gastrointestinal disorders among patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) partly because of their sedentary lifestyle, low fiber and fluid intake, concomitant medications (e.g., phosphate binders), and multiple comorbidities (e.g., diabetes). Although constipation is usually perceived as a benign, often self-limited condition, recent evidence has challenged this most common perception of constipation. The chronic symptoms of constipation negatively affect patients' quality of life and impose a considerable social and economic burden. Furthermore, recent epidemiological studies have revealed that constipation is independently associated with adverse clinical outcomes, such as end-stage renal disease (ESRD), cardiovascular (CV) disease, and mortality, potentially mediated by the alteration of gut microbiota and the increased production of fecal metabolites. Given the importance of the gut in the disposal of uremic toxins and in acid-base and mineral homeostasis with declining kidney function, the presence of constipation in CKD may limit or even preclude these ancillary gastrointestinal roles, potentially contributing to excess morbidity and mortality. With the advent of new drug classes for constipation, some of which showing unique renoprotective properties, the adequate management of constipation in CKD may provide additional therapeutic benefits beyond its conventional defecation control. Nevertheless, the problem of constipation in CKD has long been underrecognized and its management strategies have scarcely been documented. This review outlines the current understanding of the diagnosis, prevalence, etiology, outcome, and treatment of constipation in CKD, and aims to discuss its novel clinical and therapeutic implications.

Recent advances in understanding and managing diverticulitis

In the past few decades, the increasing socioeconomic burden of acute diverticulitis (AD) has become evident, and with the growth of the population age, this significant economic impact will likely continue to rise. Furthermore, recent evidence showed an increased rate of hospital admissions especially evident among women and younger individuals. The natural history and pathophysiology of this clinical condition is still to be fully defined, and efforts continue to be made in the identification of risk factors and the establishment of relative preventive strategies. The actual therapeutic strategies aimed to modulate gut microbiota, such as rifaximin or probiotics, or to reduce mucosal inflammation, such as mesalazine, present a relatively poor efficacy for both the prevention of the first AD episode (primary prevention) and its recurrence (secondary prevention). In the last few years, the main goal achieved has been in the management of AD in that uncomplicated AD can, to a larger extent, be managed in an outpatient setting with no or little supportive therapy, a strategy that will certainly impact on the health costs of this disease. The problem of AD recurrence remains a topic of debate. The aim of this review is to present updated evidence on AD epidemiology and relative open clinical questions and to analyze in detail predisposing and protective factors with an attempt to integrate their possible modes of action into the several pathogenic mechanisms that have been suggested to contribute to this multifactorial disease. A unifying hypothesis dealing with the colonic luminal and extra-luminal microenvironments separately is provided. Finally, evidence-based changes in therapeutic management will be summarized. Because of an ascertained multifactorial pathogenesis of uncomplicated and complicated AD, it is probable that a single 'causa prima' will not be identifiable, and a better stratification of patients could allow one to pursue tailored therapeutic algorithm strategies.

Symptomatic Diverticular Disease in Patients With Severely Reduced Kidney Function: Higher Rates of Complications and Transfusion Requirement

Background

The prevalence of diverticulosis is increasing with 5-10% of patients developing diverticulitis and 5-15% developing symptomatic bleeding. Diverticulitis can result in abscess, perforation, fistula, or obstruction. Bleeding has combined morbidity and mortality rates of 10-20%. The purpose of this study was to compare diverticulitis-related complications and transfusion requirements for diverticular bleeding in patients with normal to moderately reduced kidney function (glomerular filtration rate (GFR) ≥ 30 mL/min/1.73 m²) and patients with severe renal impairment (GFR < 30 mL/min/1.73 m²), and identify factors associated with these outcomes.

Methods

We retrospectively reviewed records of all patients with diverticulitis and diverticular bleeding treated at our hospital from January 1, 2011 to July 31, 2016. Patients were evaluated for baseline characteristics, GFR, baseline hemoglobin, medications, comorbidities, length of stay (LOS), presence of perforations or abscesses and the need for transfusion.

Results

Of the 291 patients included, males were 167 (58%). Perforations and abscesses complicating diverticulitis developed in 31/136 (23%) of patients with GFR ≥ 30 mL/min/1.73 m², and in 13/26 (50%) of patients with GFR < 30 mL/min/1.73 m² (odds ratio (OR): 3.4; 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.423 - 8.06; P = 0.0073). Mean LOS (days) was 6.3 ± 4 in the GFR ≥ 30 mL/min/1.73 m² group and 8.5 ± 4.4 in GFR < 30 mL/min/1.73 m² group (P = 0.0001). Blood transfusion for diverticular bleeding occurred in 11/78 (14%) of patients with GFR ≥ 30 mL/min/1.73 m² and in 22/51 (43%) of patients with GFR < 30 mL/min/1.73 m² (OR: 4.6; 95% CI: 1.99 - 10.76; P = 0.0004). Among patients who needed transfusion, mean LOS was 8.5 ± 2.5 in GFR ≥ 30 mL/min/1.73 m² group and 9 ± 5 in those with GFR < 30 mL/min/1.73 m² (P = 0.04). There were no differences in age, gender or race between the study groups.

Conclusion

There was a significant increase in complicated diverticulitis cases, transfusion requirements for diverticular bleeding and LOS in patients with severely reduced kidney function compared to patients with normal-moderately reduced renal function.