Biopsy specimen acquisition in patients with newly diagnosed peptic ulcer disease as determined from a national endoscopic database.
BACKGROUND
Eradication of Helicobacter pylori infection decreases peptic ulcer recurrence. Therefore, assessment of Helicobacter pylori status is recommended for patients with newly diagnosed peptic ulcer disease.


METHODS
Data obtained from the Clinical Outcomes Research Initiative's national endoscopic database were analyzed to characterize the acquisition of biopsy specimens in patients with a non-bleeding gastric or duodenal ulcer newly diagnosed by EGD.


RESULTS
Between January 2000 and June 2003, 8299 patients underwent EGD with identification of non-bleeding peptic ulcer disease in the stomach (5390) or the duodenum (2909). Overall, biopsy specimens were obtained from the gastric or duodenal ulcer in 5578 (67%) of these patients. Multivariate analysis identified male gender (odds ratio [OR] 0.75, 95% confidence interval (CI) [0.66-0.85] vs. female), age greater than 75 years (OR 0.67, 95% CI [0.57-0.77] vs. age <55 years), ulcer location (OR 0.53, 95% CI [0.48-0.59] for duodenal vs. gastric ulcers) and endoscopy setting (OR 0.35, 95% CI [0.31-0.39] for academic vs. community; OR 0.36, 95% CI [0.32-0.41] for Veterans Affairs medical centers vs. community) as independent predictors for the acquisition of biopsy specimens (p < 0.001 for all).


CONCLUSIONS
The findings of this study suggest that there is variation in the rates of biopsy specimen acquisition among patients with ulcers who may be at risk for Helicobacter pylori infection. Given the established benefit of Helicobacter pylori eradication, further study is needed to determine whether physicians are diagnosing and treating Helicobacter pylori infection adequately in patients with peptic ulcer.
Harewood
Gavin C
GC
Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota 55905, USA.
Holub
Jennifer L
JL
Lieberman
David A
DA
D000368:Aged; D001706:Biopsy / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D016208:Databases, Factual; D004381:Duodenal Ulcer / Q000382:microbiology / Q000473:pathology*; D016099:Endoscopy, Gastrointestinal; D005260:Female; D016481:Helicobacter Infections / Q000175:diagnosis*; D016480:Helicobacter pylori; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016017:Odds Ratio; D010818:Practice Patterns, Physicians'; D013276:Stomach Ulcer / Q000382:microbiology / Q000473:pathology*; D014481:United States