title: [Indications for colonoscopy examination and its disease distribution: a report of 5690 cases].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To explore the indications for colonoscopy examination and the distribution of diagnostic diseases.
  
  
  METHODS
  From Jan. 2000 to Dec. 2004, 5960 patients received colonoscopy examination in our colorectal center. The indications for colonoscopy examination and the distribution of its diagnostic diseases were analyzed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There were 3096 males and 2594 females,and the mean age was (52+/-15) years. The reasons for colonoscopy included hemafecia (26.9%), atypical abdominal pain (25.8%), diarrhea or increased frequency of stool (11.1%), anal tenesmus or discomfort (7.6%), constipation (7.0%),mucous or bloody purulent stool (3.0%), intra-rectal mass or abdominal mass on physical examination (0.9%), re- examination after colonoscopic polypectomy (10.9%), re-examination after operation for colorectal cancer(1.5%), simple health examination (2.2%). Colonoscope reached the cecum in 97.7% of the cases,and at least one disease was found in 2283 cases (40.1%). Among them,colorectal cancer accounted for 10.3%, colorectal polyps 19.6%, ulcerative colitis 4.3%, and Crohn's disease 0.5% respectively.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The indications for colonoscopy are too strict to screen the early stage colorectal cancer. Colonoscopy should be performed in the cases with symptoms such as bloody stool, diarrhea, abdominal pain, constipation, or with colorectal polyps, after operation for colorectal cancer,or as members of hereditary colorectal cancer family.
authors.affiliation: National Center of the Colorectal Disease, The Third Affiliated Hospital Nanjing University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Nanjing 210001, China. jinheiying@yahoo.com.cn
authors.forename: Hei-ying
authors.initials: HY
authors.lastname: Jin
authors.forename: Hui
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Ye
authors.forename: Kun-lan
authors.initials: KL
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.forename: Yong
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zhu
authors.forename: Jin-hao
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Ping
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Tie-e
authors.initials: TE
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Yi-jiang
authors.initials: YJ
authors.lastname: Ding
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002648:Child; D003108:Colonic Diseases / Q000145:classification / Q000175:diagnosis*; D003113:Colonoscopy; D015179:Colorectal Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis*; D042241:Early Diagnosis; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007080:Ileocecal Valve; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D055815:Young Adult