The following is a summary of “Mallory-Weiss syndrome in 4 hemodialysis patients: a case study.,” published in the June 2023 issue of Nephrology by Shi et al.

Gastrointestinal bleeding, including Mallory-Weiss syndrome (MWS), is common in hemodialysis patients. MWS, typically caused by severe vomiting, presents as upper gastrointestinal bleeding with a favorable prognosis. Even mild vomiting in these patients can trigger MWS, and its early mild symptoms may be misdiagnosed, resulting in disease progression.

For a study, researchers aimed to examine the MWS patients undergoing hemodialysis. They reported 4 MWS patients undergoing hemodialysis. All exhibited symptoms of upper gastrointestinal bleeding. They confirmed MWS diagnosis by gastroscopy. 

Among the patients, 1 had a history of severe vomiting, while the other 3 had a history of mild vomiting. Conservative hemostasis treatment was administered to 3 patients, leading to the cessation of gastrointestinal bleeding,1 patient underwent gastroscopic and interventional hemostasis procedures. 

The outcome of a study was that the condition of 3 patients was improved, but unfortunately, 1 patient succumbed to cardia insufficiency.

They concluded that mild symptoms of MWS can be overshadowed by other symptoms, potentially resulting in delayed diagnosis and treatment. Gastroscopic hemostasis remains the preferred approach for patients with severe symptoms, while drug hemostasis is suitable for those with milder symptoms.

Source: bmcnephrol.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12882-023-03250-x