Background: There is a paucity of published data regarding upper gastrointestinal diseases in Ugandans with upper gastrointestinal
symptoms referred for endoscopy.
Objectives: To study the presenting complaints, pathology and
Helicobacter pylori
prevalence among patients with upper
gastrointestinal symptoms in South-Western Uganda.
Methods: Patients presenting with upper gastrointestinal symptoms underwent upper endoscopy and a urease test for
Helicobacter
Pylori, all suspicious lesions were biopsied for histopathology review as appropriate.
Results: The most common presenting complaints were epigastric pain (51.6%), dysphagia (13.6%) and odynophagia
(7.1%). The most common endoscopy finding was gastritis (40.2%), followed by normal examination (15.2%), oesophageal
cancer (13.6%), gastric ulcer (7.6%) and gastric cancer (7.1%). Patients older than 40 years (n=110) had significant findings
including gastritis (50.9%), oesophageal cancer (22.7%) and gastric cancer (11.8%). However in younger patients, with the
age range of 18-40 years (n=74), most examinations were normal (92.9%). Of the 176 patients able to undergo
Helicobacter
pylori testing 75.6% were positive.
Helicobacter pylori infection was associated with statistically significant increase in
gastritis, oesophageal cancer, gastric ulcer, gastric cancer, and duodenal ulcers (p-values< 0.05).
Conclusion: Gastritis, ulcerative disease, and upper gastrointestinal malignancies are common in South-Western Ugandans
and are associated with a high prevalence of
Helicobacter pylori.
