Gastric Emptying in Chronic Renal Failure Patients on Hemodialysis

We studied gastric emptying of solid food, using a radionuclide technique, in 18 patients with chronic renal failure patients on hemodialysis: nine with nausea and vomiting or postprandial bloating and nine without. Both groups were compared with a group of normal subjects. Gastric emptying was consistent with a linear elimination in all groups. The regression coefficients of the symptomatic, asymptomatic, and control groups were -0.48 +/- 0.1%, -0.5 +/- 0.14%, and -0.58 +/- 0.15% min, respectively. These were not statistically different. Half-emptying times were 116.4 +/- 7.1 min, 97.8 +/- 13.7 min, and 98.7 +/- 5.6 min, respectively. These also were not statistically different. Values of percentage retention at 2.5 hours for the same groups were 31.6 +/- 5, 24.8 +/- 6.4, and 18.6 +/- 4.4, respectively, again with no statistical difference. Patients with chronic renal failure on hemodialysis, symptomatic or asymptomatic, have no obvious impairment of gastric emptying of solids.