626 To assess the appropriateness of colonoscopy in patients below the age of 60 in a District General Hospital
Syed Zaidi, Abbas Zaidi- Surgery
Abstract
Aim
To assess the indications of colonoscopy on the basis of symptoms in patients below the age of 60 using Epage 2 guidelines. Correlate them with colonoscopic and pathologic findings to determine the appropriateness to improve patient selection in district general hospital.
Methods
This is a retrospective study including 296 patients below the age of 60. They were referred from Gastroenterology and Surgical department. Data includes age, sex, indications, colonoscopic and pathologic findings. The Epage 2 online guidelines were used.
Results
43% of patients were male and 57% were female. The most indication for colonoscopy was abdominal pain and bleeding PR (20% each) and diarrhoea (19.6%). Colitis was found in only 14.9%, with diverticulosis 11%, polyp 4% and haemorrhoidal disease 6%. Using the EPAG 2 Criteria 80.5% were appropriate indications, 12.5% were uncertain and only 7% were inappropriate indications.
Conclusion
This study confirmed that the majority of indications for colonoscopy were appropriate. Cancer was only found in 2% of patients and majority of the colonoscopy findings were normal. The most common diagnosis in this age group was colitis (14.5%).