Appropriateness and diagnostic yield of open access gastroscopy in two tertiary centers in South-western Nigeria.

BACKGROUND: There is need for the appropriate use of gastroscopy.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the appropriateness of upper gastrointestinal endoscopy, and its association with significant endoscopy findings in our environment.

METHODS: This was a prospective study of subjects who underwent gastroscopy at two centers in south-western Nigeria between August 2020 and August 2021. Indications were classified as either appropriate or inappropriate according to the ASGE guidelines, gastroscopic findings as either significant or not significant, patients as either elderly (≥ 60 years) or not, inpatients or outpatients, and referrals as either gastroenterologist referral, or not.

RESULTS: There were 227 subjects, 131 (57.7%) females, mean age 45 ± 13.7 years. Fifteen percent were elderly, 65.6% were gastroenterologist referrals, 14.1% were inpatients, while 45.8% had co-morbidities. Endoscopy was appropriately indicated in 81.9%, and significant endoscopy findings were detected in 95.6%. Appropriateness was not associated with significant endoscopy findings. The sensitivity, specificity and AUROC of the ASGE guidelines were 10%, 82%, and 0.46 respectively.

CONCLUSION: According to our study, most procedures are appropriately indicated. However, appropriateness did not determine endoscopy yield. Larger studies are needed to determine the utility of the ASGE guidelines in our environment.