A Cross Sectional study to Assess the Various Upper Gastrointestinal Endoscopic Findings in Dyspepsia Patients attending Tertiary Level Care Hospital

BACKGROUND: Dyspepsia is constellation of upper abdominal symptoms that affect approximately a fourth of the population in industrialized countries. The evaluation and management of dyspepsia constitutes a significant clinical and economical burden. Upper G.I. endoscopy is standard for diagnosis of structural disease in a patient with dyspepsia & is the investigation of choice for dyspepsia particularly where radiology has been negative. Endoscopy helps in early detection of carcinoma in dyspepsia. This study is intended to study the various upper GI endoscopy findings in dyspeptic patients and association of other alarm symptoms with better outcome. AIMS & OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY: 1. To study the upper gastrointestinal endoscopic presentation of chronic dyspepsia. 2. To study the age and sex distribution in patients presenting with chronic dyspepsia. 3. To find out the common site of lesion in patients presenting with chronic dyspepsia. METHODOLOGY: Study design: Cross sectional study. Period of study: One year (2018 -2019). Study population: Patients attending surgical outpatient department of Chengalpattu Medical College with dyspeptic symptoms. Sampling method: convenient sampling; sample size of 100. RESULTS: 102 patients presenting with dyspepsia were evaluated. 1. Highest prevalence of dyspepsia among age group of 40-49 years. 2. Most common presenting complaint was epigastric pain and discomfort. 3. Dyspepsia was more common in males (75%) when compared to females (25%). 4. Most common endoscopic finding was gastritis followed by normal study. 5. Malignancy was diagnosed in 8% patients with dyspepsia. 6. Stomach is the common site of lesion in patients presenting with dyspepsia. 7. Gastritis, duodenitis and varices is common in males. 8. Malignancy is common among males than females. 9. Incidence of malignancy increases as the age advances. CONCLUSION: On endoscopic examination gastritis accounted for the majority of the cases. Incidence of malignancy in the present study was 8% out of which most common is gastric malignancies. Clinically significant endoscopic findings were observed in 71 patients with uninvestigated dyspepsia. Most patients presented with more than three or more dyspeptic symptoms and the symptom profile was not predictive of the endoscopic findings. Prevalence of large number of inflammatory lesions as a result of increased acid production and low incidence of malignancy in the study group suggests that the un investigated patients with dyspepsia may be initially managed medically with acid suppressive therapy