Journal List > Korean J Gastroenterol > v.64(6) > 1007309

Lee, Chung, Sung, Kang, Hong, Cho, Kang, Lee, and Jeon: Current Status and Clinical Impact of Pediatric Endoscopy in Korea

Abstract

Background/Aims

In pediatrics, endoscopic examination has become a common procedure for evaluation of gastrointestinal presentations. However, there are limited data on pediatric endoscopy in Korea. The aim of this study was to analyze the current status and clinical impacts of endoscopic examination in children and adolescents.

Methods

We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of outpatients who visited the tertiary hospital. Patients under 18 years of age who underwent endoscopy were included. Endoscopic findings were classified as specific and normal based on gross findings. Specific endoscopic findings were reflux esophagitis, peptic ulcers, and Mallory-Weiss tear. Other findings included acute gastritis classified according to the updated Sydney system.

Results

In 722 of 330,350 patients (0.2%), endoscopic examination (554 esophagogastroduodenoscopies [EGDs], 121 colonoscopies, 47 sigmoidoscopies) was performed between January 2008 and January 2013. In EGD, abdominal pain was the most frequent presentation (64.1%). The most common diagnosis was gastritis (53.2%), followed by reflux esophagitis. The frequency of peptic ulcer disease was 12.8%. Frequent symptoms leading to colonoscopic examination were abdominal pain, diarrhea, and hematochezia. In colonoscopy, a negative result was more likely in children younger than 7 years old. After the procedure, the diagnostic yield of EGD and colonoscopy was 88.1% and 45.8%, respectively, and the rate of change in management was 67.1%.

Conclusions

In pediatrics, endoscopic examination was useful for the choice of therapeutic strategy and it would be a standard method for evaluation of gastrointestinal presentation.

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Fig. 1.
Gastritis was the most common diagnosis of pediatric esophagogastroduodenoscopy; erythematous and edematous mucosal change in the whole stomach.
kjg-64-333f1.tif
Fig. 2.
Various findings during pediatric colonoscopy; (A) Crohn's disease, (B) intestinal tuberculosis, (C) lymphoma, (D) rectal ulcer.
kjg-64-333f2.tif
Table 1.
Leading Symptoms in Esophagogastroduodenoscopy
Symptom Number (%)
Abdominal pain 355 (64.1)
Foreign body sensation 50 (9.0)
Nausea/vomiting 49 (9.0)
Dyspepsia 34 (6.1)
Anemia 17 (3.1)
Hematemesis 17 (3.1)
Melena 11 (2.0)
Acid regurgitation 10 (1.8)
Chest pain 5 (0.9)
Dysphagia 2 (0.3)
Chronic cough 2 (0.3)
Decreased activity 1 (0.2)
Evaluation of upper gastrointestinal bleeding 1 (0.2)
Total 544
Table 2.
Comparison of Endoscopic Findings in Two Groups according to Age above 7 Years or below 7 Years
Endoscopic finding (%) Group (yr)
p-value
≤7 (n=85) >7 (n=469)
Gastritis (46.6) 17 (20.0) 241 (51.4) <0.01 a
Peptic ulcer (12.8)      
 GU 5 (5.9) 22 (4.7) 0.68
 DU 2 (2.4) 40 (8.5) 0.12
 GU combined DU 1 (1.1) 1 (0.2) 0.17
Reflux esophagitis (15.3) 2 (2.4) 83 (17.7) <0.01 a
Foreign body (9.9) 46 (54.1) 9 (2.0) <0.01 a
Duodenitis (0.9) 1 (1.1) 4 (0.9) 0.76
Henoch-Schonlein purpura (0.7) 3 (3.5) 1 (0.2) <0.01 a
Other (1.8) 2 (2.4) 8 (1.6) 0.68
Normal (11.9) 6 (7.1) 60 (12.8) 0.13

Values are presened as n (%).

GU, gastric ulcer; DU, duodenal ulcer.

a The parameters showed significant differentiation between two groups.

Table 3.
Leading Symptoms in Colonoscopy and Sigmoidoscopy
Symptom Number (%)
Abdominal pain 60 (35.7)
Diarrhea 47 (28.0)
Hematochezia 46 (27.4)
Anemia 7 (4.2)
Constipation 3 (1.8)
Fever of unknown origin 2 (1.2)
Growth retardation 2 (1.2)
Irritability 1 (0.6)
Total 168
Table 4.
Comparison of Endoscopic Findings in Two Groups according to Age above 7 Years or below 7 Years
Endoscopic finding (%) Group (yr)
p-value
≤7 (n=21) >7 (n=147)
Nomal (54.2) 16 (76.2) 75 (51.0) 0.03 a
Colitis/ileitis/proctitis (14.3) 2 (9.5) 22 (15.0) 0.74
Inflammatory bowel disease (19.6) 0 33 (22.4) 0.01 a
 Crohn's disease 0 21 (14.3)  
 Ulcerative colitis 0 12 (8.2)  
Intestinal tuberculosis (4.2) 2 (9.5) 5 (3.4) 0.21
Hemorrhoid (4.2) 0 7 (4.8) 0.59
Polyp (1.8) 1 (4.8) 2 (1.3) 0.33
Rectal ulcer (1.2) 0 2 (1.3) 1.0
Lymphoma (0.6) 0 1 (0.7) 1.0

Values are presened as n (%).

a The parameters showed significant differentiation between two groups.

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