High prevalence of colon adenomas in end‐stage kidney disease patients on hemodialysis undergoing renal transplant evaluation

Abstract

The aim of this study was to determine whether patients with end-stage kidney disease (ESKD) on hemodialysis (HD) undergoing kidney transplant evaluation are at higher risk for colonic neoplasia than the general population. This is a retrospective cohort study of patients with ESKD who underwent a first screening colonoscopy while undergoing kidney transplant evaluation. Data were collected on the prevalence of adenomatous polyps and advanced adenomas in 70 patients with ESKD and 70 controls, undergoing their first screening colonoscopy, matched for age, gender, and endoscopist. At the time of the colonoscopy, an average time on HD was 3.2 ± 2.9 yr. The prevalence of adenomatous polyps was significantly higher in ESKD on HD (54.3% vs. 32.9%, p = 0.008) than in controls. In a multivariate analysis controlling for other factors, ESKD on HD remained a risk factor for the presence of adenomas (OR 3.06, 95% CI 1.21, 7.73). No colonoscopy-related complications were reported in the patients with ESKD on HD. We demonstrate a significantly higher prevalence of adenomatous polyps in patients with ESKD undergoing a first screening colonoscopy as part of kidney transplant evaluation. In addition, colonoscopy can be safely performed in this population.