Three consecutive audits to achieve acceptable colonoscopy completion rates.

OBJECTIVE: To compare the acceptable colonoscopy completion rates in three successive audits, identifying the reasons for failure of completion and rectifying them to improve the performance at our endoscopy unit. METHODS: Study was conducted at Endoscopy unit of Medical Unit One Civil Hospital Karachi. The first audit was conducted retrospectively on the colonoscopy results, done from November 2004 to November 2005. As the information was incomplete, a performa was designed for the next prospective audit from December 2005 to November 2006. The shortcomings found in the results of this audit were improved in the third audit done prospectively from December 2006 to November 2007. RESULTS: In the first audit 164 patients (111 male) underwent colonoscopy. The mean age was 40 +/- 10.08 years. The overall caecal intubation rate was 55%, but adjusted caecal intubation was not calculated because of inadequate documentation. In the second audit, 119 patients (66 male) underwent colonoscopy. The mean age was 45 +/- 10.17 years. After implementing changes the overall crude caecal intubation rate was 54.8% and the adjusted caecal intubation rate was 75% with exclusion of strictures and poor preparation. In the third audit, 122 patients (58 males) underwent colonoscopy. The mean age was 38 +/- 11.07 years. With further improvement in methodology the overall crude caecal intubation rate was (80.3%) and the adjusted caecal intubation rate was (98%). CONCLUSION: These audits allowed us to evaluate our endoscopy services and to detect the short comings and deviation from standard techniques and hence improving the performance in the subsequent year for the benefit of patients.

Liver histology in hepatitis C virus positive patients with normal and elevated alanine amino transferase levels.

OBJECTIVE: To compare liver histology in HCV RNA positive patients with normal and elevated Alanine Aminotransferase Level (AST). METHODS: This Cohort (prospective) study was conducted at Civil Hospital Karachi from Jan 2007 to July 2007. Forty patients with positive HCV RNA were included. Their liver function tests were followed for three months. Those having normal ALT on three occasions were taken as controls and those having elevated ALT were taken as cases. Liver biopsy was performed, Specimens were reviewed by single pathologist. Scheuer's scoring for grading of inflammation and staging of fibrosis of chronic hepatitis was used. RESULTS: Out of Forty patients having positive HCV RNA, 14 (35%) were male and 26 (65%) were female. Mean ALT in control group was 27.3 +/- 6.1 u/l, mean ALT in cases was 91.7 +/- 39.95 u/l. Mean age in controls was 34.2 +/- 10.75 years and in cases was 33.6 +/- 9.40 years. On histopathology, the mean grade of inflammation in controls was 1.40 +/- 0.681 while in cases was 1.20 +/- 0.834, which was not statistically significantly different in the two groups (p = 0.411). Similarly mean staging of fibrosis in controls was 1.20 +/- 0.768 and in cases was 1.35 +/- 1.348 which was also not statistically different in the two groups (p = 0.668). Stage 3 and 4 fibrosis was seen only in raised ALT group and not in the controls. CONCLUSION: Patients with persistently normal ALT and elevated ALT, although had similar grading of inflammation but the fibrosis score was more in elevated ALT group. None of the patients with normal ALT had normal histology, so decision for antiviral treatment should be individualized in this group also.