Najmul Hassan Shah, Ikramullah Khan, Muhammad Sadiq Shah, Khalid Hameed.
Dyspepsia in Afghan Refugees - Do Prompt Endoscopy.
J Ayub Med Coll Abottabad Jan ;11(2):51-3.

The endoscopy records of all the Afghan refugees attending the Gastroenterology Department of the Lady Reading Hospital Peshawar, from Januarv 1996 up to December 1997 were analysed retrospectively to determine the frequency of the indications and diagnostic out come of the procedure in this particular population. Out of the total 157 patients, 110 were males and 47 females with more than 75% of the patients falling between 20-60 years of age. The commonest indication for diagnostic upper GI endoscopy was dysphagia (44.58%), followed by abdominal pain (36.30%), dyspepsia and/or heartburn (22.29%), anorexia (21.68%), heamatemesis and/or melena (10.82%), and vomiting (9.55%). The rate of normal endoscopy was 27.99%. Upper GI cancer accounted for 42.67% of cases (oesophageal cancer 31.21% and gastric cancer 11.46%). Other important out comes included gastro-oesophageal reflux disease (17.19%), gastro-duodenal inflammation (12.10%), peptic ulcer disease (12.10%) and varices (3.11%). Twenty two patients had multiple findings. All the upper GI cancers were found to he inoperable at diagnosis with 3.4 months as the average duration of symptoms before a diagnosis was reached in this group. Multiple personal, social, economical and geopolitical, factors were cited as the reasons for delayed consultation by these patients. The study highlights the high rate of GI cancer in this specific ethnic group and need for early diagnosis. The need for detailed studies to focus on the various etiological and pathogenic factors is also suggested.

PakMediNet -Pakistan's largest Database of Pakistani Medical Journals - http://www.pakmedinet.com