The diagnostic value of the duodenal biopsy: A clinico-pathologic analysis of 28,000 patients

Abstract Background Duodenal biopsies are frequently obtained to investigate malabsorption, diarrhoea, and aneamia. The proportion of patients who have duodenal biopsies and their diagnostic yield are unclear. Aims To determine what proportion of patients undergoing esophagogastroduodenoscopy in a private setting has duodenal biopsies and to evaluate the diagnostic yield relative to clinical indications and endoscopic findings. Methods Records of patients who had duodenal biopsies diagnosed at a United States gastrointestinal pathology laboratory in a single year were analysed. Results 28,210 patients with and 75,175 without duodenal biopsies were studied. Duodenal biopsy patients were younger (52 years versus 58 years, p p Conclusions A clinical suspicion of sprue produces the highest yield of histopathologic abnormalities; women are biopsied more often than men despite having less duodenal pathology.