Candida esophagitis: risk factors in non-HIV population in Pakistan.
OBJECTIVE
Candida esophagitis is a frequent infection in immunocompromised patients. This study was designed to determine its characteristics in non- human immune deficiency virus (HIV) infected patients attending a teaching hospital.


METHODS
Clinical records of all patients coded by international classification of diseases 9th revision with clinical modifications' (ICD-9-CM), with candida esophagitis diagnosed by esophagogastroduodenoscopy (EGD) and histopathology over a period of 5 years were studied.


RESULTS
Fifty-one patients (27 males, 24 females, range 21-77 years old and mean age 52.9 years) fulfilled the criteria (0.34% of the EGD). The common predisposing factors were carcinoma (OR 3.87, CI 1.00-14.99) and diabetes mellitus (OR 4.39, CI 1.34-14.42). The frequent clinical symptoms were retrosternal discomfort, dysphagia and epigastric abdominal pain with endoscopic appearance of scattered mucosal plaques. Another endoscopic lesion was associated with candida esophagitis in 15% patients.


CONCLUSIONS
Carcinomas, diabetes mellitus, corticosteroid and antibiotic therapy are major risk factors for candida esophagitis in Pakistan. It is an easily managed complication that responds to treatment with nystatin.
Yakoob
Javed
J
Section of Gastroenterology, Department of Medicine, Agha Khan University Hospital, Karachi, Pakistan. yakoobjaved@hotmail.com
Jafri
Wasim
W
Abid
Shahab
S
Jafri
Nadeem
N
Islam
Muhammad
M
Hamid
Saeed
S
Shah
Hasnain A
HA
Hussainy
Akbar S
AS
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002177:Candidiasis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000473:pathology; D004724:Endoscopy; D004941:Esophagitis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000453:epidemiology; D006509:Hepatitis B; D006526:Hepatitis C; D006801:Humans; D006965:Hyperplasia; D015994:Incidence; D018655:Lymphocyte Count; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009504:Neutrophils / Q000166:cytology; D010154:Pakistan / Q000453:epidemiology; D012307:Risk Factors