Single-Center Review of Appropriateness and Utilization of Upper Endoscopy in Dyspepsia in the United States

Abstract

BACKGROUND We compared real-world practice of dyspepsia management to the new American College of Gastroenterology (ACG)/Canadian Association of Gastroenterology (CAG) guidelines 2017. METHODS We conducted a retrospective, observational study using administrative data to include patients undergoing esophagogastroduodenoscopy (EGD) for dyspepsia. RESULTS Out of 122 EGDs, only 30 (24.5%) were deemed appropriate per guidelines. Only 13 (14.1%) patients had undergone both Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) test and treat and adequate proton pump inhibitor (PPI) before undergoing endoscopy. Nineteen (15.5%) patients had alarm symptoms (weight loss, melena and early satiety). Positivity rate of H. pylori was 36.3%, but only half completed treatment. Twenty-six patients (21.3%) had abnormalities on endoscopy, most commonly gastritis. There were no cases of gastric/esophageal cancer. CONCLUSIONS The rate of inappropriate upper gastrointestinal endoscopy is higher than the existing literature, likely because of the stricter use of EGD in patients < 60 years. Only one in eight patients underwent the recommended workup before undergoing endoscopy.