Lower gastrointestinal tract pathology in Saudis: results of endoscopic biopsy findings in 1,600 patients

ABSTRACT

Between 1979 and 1985, 1, 775 patients had sigmoidoscopy or colonoscopy in the Gastroenterology Unit of Riyadh Armed Forces Hospital, because of different gastrointestinal tract problems. Sixteen hundred of these patents were Saudi. This study shows the incidence of lower gastrointestinal tract pathology in Saudi patients, based on the histological findings from endoscopic biopsies of the colon. The most common pathological finding was infective causes [18.6%], of which Schistosoma mansoni infestation accounts for 9.31%. One hundred eleven Saudi patients [6.94%] had nonspecific colitis, 10 [0.6%] had tuberculosis, and 3 [0.19%] had amoebic colitis. Ulcerative colitis was diagnosed in 281 [1.75%], Croh's disease in 3 [0.19%], and diverticular disease in 16 patients. There was a low incidence of adenomatous polyps [2.69%] and colorectal cancer [0.78%] compared to Western and Far Eastern countries, but similar to Middle Eastern countries