Background: The aim of this study was to determine the frequency of diagnosis of significant disease by EGD in Asian patients of various ages with simple dyspepsia.
Methods: Database records of 10,488 consecutive patients undergoing EGD between 1992 and 1998 were analyzed. The frequency of significant upper GI disease (defined as esophagitis, peptic ulcer, and cancer) in patients presenting with simple dyspepsia was determined for various age groups.
Results: For the indication simple dyspepsia, 5066 (48.3%) EGDs were performed. At 988 (19.5%) EGDs, significant disease was noted (peptic ulcer 14.9%, esophagitis 5.0%, stomach cancer 0.47%, esophageal cancer 0.06%). There was a positive correlation between disease frequency and increasing age. The cumulative percentages of significant disease by age group were as follows: 10.8% in patients less than 35 years of age, 11.9% for those less than 40 years old, 13.7% for patients less than 45 years of age, and 19.5% overall. The cumulative frequencies of gastric cancer by age group were as follows: 0.68 of 1000 EGDs in patients less than 35 years of age, 1.15 of 1000 EGDs in patients less than 45 years old, and 9.60 of 1000 EGDs in patients greater than 45 years of age.
Conclusion: The present study provides data to assist decision-making regarding the use of EGD in the patient population of Singapore. For patients with simple dyspepsia residing in Singapore, an age threshold of 45 years is reasonable inasmuch as gastric cancer is rarely found at endoscopy in younger patients. The age threshold for EGD for simple dyspepsia for Asians residing in other parts of the world would have to be determined based on the local prevalence of gastric cancer.