DYSPEPSIA

FREQUENCY OF COMMON UPPER GASTROINTESTINAL ENDOSCOPIC FINDINGS IN ELDERLY PATIENTS WITH IRON DEFICIENCY ANEMIA

Abstract

The most common single cause of anemia worldwide is Iron deficiency. It results
from other underlying diseases and to look for its cause is very crucial and is of far greater
importance than restoring the iron stores and hemoglobin levels. Objectives: To determine the
frequency of common upper gastrointestinal endoscopic findings in elderly patients with iron
deficiency anemia presenting with dyspepsia. Study Design: Cross sectional descriptive study.
Setting: Department of Medicine, Khyber Teaching hospital, Peshawar. Period: March, 2011 to
September, 2011. Materials and Methods: 116 patients, all the patients with iron deficiency
anemia presenting with dyspepsia were subjected to upper gastrointestinal endoscopy to
detect common findings as gastric erosions, peptic ulcer and gastric carcinoma. Statistical
Analysis: Data was analyzed with SPSS 10.0. Results: On upper gastrointestinal endoscopy,
normal findings were noted 30 (25.86%) patients and abnormal findings were noted in 86
(74.14%) patients including 45 (38.79%) patients with gastric erosions, 30 (25.86%) patients
with peptic ulcer and 11 (9.48%) patients were found with gastric malignancy. Conclusions:
Upper gastrointestinal lesions are common in elderly patients with iron deficiency anemia
presenting with dyspepsia and must be screened by gastrointestinal endoscopy.