Evaluation of the gastrointestinal clinical, endoscopic, and histological findings in patients with bile reflux diseases: A cross-sectional study

Abstract

Background: Bile reflux occurs when the bile flows upward from the duodenum to the stomach and esophagus. It occurs when the pyloric sphincter is damaged or fails to work correctly; bile can enter the stomach and then be transported into the esophagus as in gastric reflux. Objective: This study aims to evaluate clinical findings and the endoscopic and histological changes caused by bile reflux disease on gastric mucosa. Patients and Methods: This is a cross-sectional study carried out at Gastrointestinal Endoscopy Unit in Al-Yarmouk Teaching Hospital in Baghdad during the period from January 2016 to October 2016, upper endoscopy done to 50 patients in the Gastrointestinal Tract Center of Al-Yarmouk Teaching Hospital, in whom there is endoscopic evidence of bile reflux disease and biopsies from gastric mucosa were taken and send for histopathology and Helicobacter pylori examination. Results: Bile reflux was noted in 19 males (38%) and 31 females (62%). Bile reflux disease was more in age below 50 years (29 patients), more in the female, while after the age of 65 years, the male/female ratio was 1.5/1. The most common symptoms were epigastric pain. The most common endoscopic findings were gastric erythema. The major risk factors were cholecystectomy (8%). Pylori were present in about 24% of the patients. Conclusion: Bile reflux disease was more common in young female and cholecystectomy was common risk factor.