Changes in indications for upper gastrointestinal tract endoscopy and endoscopic findings during the last fifteen years in south-western Greece.

ABSTRACT Background During the past years, major advances in the management of upper gastrointestinal diseases have been achieved. The aim of this study was to determine if changes in indications for upper gastrointestinal endoscopy and endoscopic findings have occurred during the last 15 years in our area. Methods Indications for upper gastrointestinal tract endoscopy and endoscopy findings of patients who underwent upper endoscopy in years 1990, 1995, 2000, and 2005 in our department were compared. Results Over the 15-year period, the number of diagnostic endoscopies performed in our department in years 1990, 1995, 2000, and 2005 increased (953, 1245, 2350, and 2528, respectively). Acute upper gastrointestinal bleeding had become less frequent (40%, 42.8%, 19.7%, 14.3%, P P  = 0.002) and reflux (1.8%, 1.3%, 5.1%, 10.8%, P  = 0.005) more frequent indications for upper endoscopy. The endoscopic findings of duodenal ulcer (39.1%, 22.5%, 20.5%, 9.3%, P P  = 0.036) as well as erosive gastroduodenitis (35.6%, 22.2%, 15.3%, 4.7%, P P  = 0.034) increased. Moreover, the percentage of patients with negative endoscopy or minimal endoscopic findings (eg, nonerosive gastritis) increased (12.8%, 33.7%, 54.1%, 64.4%, P Conclusions In south-western Greece, dyspepsia and reflux as an indication for upper endoscopy have been increasing, whereas acute upper gastrointestinal bleeding has been decreasing. The finding of peptic ulcers at the upper gastrointestinal tract endoscopy has become significantly less frequent, while the percentage of patients with negative results of endoscopy seems to have been increasing rapidly.