What affects the gastrointestinal symptoms in peritoneal dialysis patients?
Gastrointestinal (GI ) symptoms are proven to be more common in patients undergoing peritoneal dialysis than in patients with chronic renal failure having hemodialysis. However, whether the onset of these GI symptoms is related to the chronic renal failure itself, its treatment, or alternatively, other factors, is still unknown. A research article to be published on June 14, 2010 n the World Journal of Gastroenterology addresses this question. The research team led by Professor Guo from the Nephrology department of Changhai Hospital, Second Military Medical University used the Gastrointestinal Symptom Rating Scale, which is a self-administered questionnaire, includes 15 items and uses a 7-grade Likert scale defined by descriptive anchors such that 1=none, 2=minor, 3=mild, 4=moderate, 5=moderately severe, 6=severe, and 7=very severe discomfort, to evaluate the presence of gastrointestinal symptoms in peritoneal dialysis patients. As various research groups have indicated a higher preval
