Dyspepsia in a rural cohort

ABSTRACT

To determine the etiology of dyspepsia in the rural population of the province of Sindh, Pakistan. Design: Observational study. Place and Duration of Study The study was carried out at Baqai Medical University and spread over three years from May 1998 to April 2001. Patients and All patients of age 14 and above, presenting with dyspepsia for the first time, were endoscoped and histopathological details of the susceptible as well as normal looking mucosa were obtained. A total of 446 patients, 206 males and 240 females, presenting with dyspepsia were studied. Male to female ratio was 0.9 1.1 and mean age was 38.86 years [SD 15.52]. Overall, 59.9% [n=446] had gastritis and 9.2% had combination of gastritis and other pathologies. 15.2%, 44 females and 22 males had normal endoscopy. Histology revealed gastritis in 75% [51] and 3.81% had normal endoscopy and normal histology. Peptic ulcer accounted for 9.5%, while 1.57% had oesophageal varices and 0.44% had gastropathy and oesophageal varices. Gastritis is the commonest cause of dyspepsia in a rural population of Sindh. Peptic ulcer is significantly uncommon accounting for only 9.5%. Gastritis is responsible for considerable morbidity leading to poor quality of life and socioeconomic setback