The gastrofiberscopic findings in pediatric patients

ABSTRACT

We observed 240 cases ranging in age from 3 months to 15 years seen by gastrofiberoscopy in the department of pediatrics of Seoul Red Cross Hospital from March 1990 to October 1992 and following results were obtained. 1) The male to female ratios in total cases and in 89 patients complaining of abdominal pain for more than one month were 0.941 and 1.021 respectively. The most prevalent age group was 10~12 years in both groups. 2) The indication in the order of frequency were chronic abdominal pain (37.1%), acute abdominal pain (32.5%), vomiting (7.9%), hematemesis and melena (5.4%), follow-up study (6.3%), further evaluation (3.8%), chest discomfort (2.5%), foreign body removal (2.1%), nausea (1.2%), dysphagia (0.8%) and abdominal mass (0.4%). 3) The common endoscopic findings in the 225 cases excluding follow-up ones were gastritis (34.7%), duodenitis (14.2%), ulcer (11.6%), esophagitis (7.6%) and foreign body (2.2%). 4) The common endoscopic findings in cases of chronic abdominal pain were gastritis (42.7%), duodenitis (16.9%) and ulcer (7.9%). 5) There was no complication except mild sore throat.