Gastrointestinal symptoms in patients undergoing peritoneal dialysis: Multivariate analysis of correlated factors

AIM: To investigate gastrointestinal (GI) symptoms in peritoneal dialysis (PD) patients and to explore related factors contributing to GI symptoms. METHODS: One hundred and twelve patients undergoing PD participated in the study. The gastrointestinal symptom rating scale was used for measuring GI symptoms. Information on age, height, weight, body mass index, disease leading to chronic renal failure, history of corticosteroid therapy, presence of predialytic GI symptoms, daily dosage of pills, and duration, type and daily dialysate volume of PD was obtained by interviewing patients and/or reviewing the medical records. Hemoglobin, albumin and Kt/V data were obtained from follow-up database. We used multiple regression analysis with stepwise backward variable selection to test for factors predicting GSRS scores with significance level of selection entry at 0.05 and selection of stay at 0.10. RESULTS: The prevalence of eating dysfunction, reflux and indigestion in the PD patients was 44.2%, 32.7%, 32.7%, respectively. A history of corticosteroid therapy (b = 8.93, P < 0.001) and all pills daily intake (b = 0.16, P = 0.007) were positively correlated to GI symptoms, while residual renal Kt/V (b = -3.47, P = 0.009) was negatively correlated to GI symptoms. Other factors were proven to be not associated with GI symptoms, with P > 0.05. CONCLUSION: Eating dysfunction, reflux and indigestion were common in PD patients. Daily dosage of pills and corticosteroid history predicted GI symptoms, while residual renal function prevented them. (C) 2010 Baishideng. All rights reserved.