THE treatment of uremia by chronic hemodialysis has raised a number of serious economic, moral, emotional, and medical problems.1-3 As experience with this form of treatment is still limited, medical complications, especially if unanticipated, may seriously disrupt treatment and limit long-term, successful management. We have been confronted with the development of peptic ulcer in four of seven patients undergoing hemodialysis.
The gastric secretion of acid was measured in patients undergoing chronic hemodialysis to quantitate one factor possibly responsible for this complication.
Methods
Dialysis Techniques.
—The chronic hemodialysis unit at this institution has been operative since December 1963. Although patients were selected primarily because of medical indications, an attempt was made to assess such factors as stability of personality and potential of cooperation with a precise medical regimen. All patients were severely ill at the time of entrance into the program.Initially, the dialysis technique used was a recirculating 17-hour