GASTROINTESTINAL DISEASES;

FREQUENCY OF SYMPTOMS

Abstract

. Objectives: To determine the frequency of gastrointestinal (GI) diseases/symptoms in a tertiary care hospital of Peshawar.
Methods: A Cross sectional observational study was conducted in Medical department Khyber teaching hospital Peshawar from August 2005
to march 2006. A total of 189 patients with established diagnosis of any gastrointestinal disease were randomly selected. Out of total
101(53.43%) were males and 88(46.56%) were females. Relevant information’s were recorded on a pre-designed questionnaire was designed
in accordance with the objectives of the study. Results: The age range of the patients was from 8 years to 82 years with mean age of 47.5
years. The mode age observed was 45 years. Of total sampling (43.91%) were illiterate, primary passed (24.33%), matric education (15.87%),
secondary education (11.11%) and (4.76%) patients had degree level education. The gastrointestinal disease pattern was: acute peptic disease/
dyspepsia (15.87%), reflux esophagitis (7.91%), duodenal ulcer (1.5%), gastric ulcer (0.5%), worm infestation (1.5%), esophageal carcinoma
(0.5%) and miscellaneous in 136(71.95%) patients. The distribution of the gastrointestinal disease symptoms was: chronic diarrhea (19.04%),
vomiting (12.16%), dysentery (6.34%), bleeding per rectum (5.20%), constipation (2.1%), anorexia (1.5%), dysphagia (1.10%) and multiple
symptoms were recorded in (24.33%) patients. Conclusion: acute peptic disease/dyspepsia, chronic diarrhea dysentery, reflux esophagitis
are major gastro intestinal (GI) diseases in our setup. Duodenal and gastric ulcers, carcinoma of gastrointestinal tract, worms infestation,
dysphagia and anorexia were not as common.