Oral manifestations in chronic kidney disease patients undergoing hemodialysis: a hospital-based study

BACKGROUND: Chronic kidney disease (CKD-HD) patients undergoing routine hemodialysis have been reported to have oral signs and symptoms due to disease process or various comorbidities like diabetes mellitus (DM). Both CKD and DM can cause oral changes. Hence this study aimed to evaluate the prevalence of oral symptoms and signs in CKD-HD patients and to rule out DM as possible confounding factor for the oral findings. METHODS: Oral manifestations were assessed in 102 CKD-HD patients, and compared with 100 DM patients and 101 non-diabetic patients with no renal impairment. RESULTS: Most common symptom reported by patients with CKD-HD were xerostomia, altered taste. The most prevalent objective findings were oral dryness. There was statistically significant difference in symptoms and signs between CKD-HD and non-CKD patients. However, no significant difference between CKD-HD with and without DM. CONCLUSIONS: This study showed increased prevalence of oral findings in CKD patients. It also revealed that Diabetes mellitus cannot be a contributing factor for increased prevalence of oral manifestations in CKD patients.