Diagnostic management of epigastric pain in Uganda

ABSTRACT

180 patients who attended the out patient department of Hoima Hospital (Uganda) complaining of epigastric pain were studied in order to verify the cause and to assess the most effective diagnostic method. All the patients underwent the following examinations stool examination for parasites; upper digestive tract endoscopy; ultrasound scan of liver; spleen; pancreas and kidneys. The results suggest that the main causes of epigastric pain in Uganda are intestinal parasitosis (27 per cent); gastrointestinal upper tract lesions with endoscopic signs of disease (44.5 per cent) and non-ulcer dyspepsia (28.4 per cent). The best approach to epigastric pain is first of all to rule out the presence of parasites in the stool. Upper digestive tract endoscopy is useful as a second step in the diagnosis while ultrasound examination does not add important information