# Clinical and Endoscopic Profile among Patients with Dyspepsia in Patients attending Tertiary Care Center: An Observational Study

## TL;DR

This study examines the clinical and endoscopic features of dyspepsia patients and finds a high prevalence of H. pylori infection.

## Contribution

The study provides updated prevalence data on H. pylori infection in dyspepsia patients using rapid urease testing in a Nepalese tertiary care setting.

## Key findings

- A high prevalence of Helicobacter pylori infection was observed in dyspeptic patients.
- Acid peptic disease was the most common diagnosis among participants.

## Abstract

Dyspepsia is a cluster of gastrointestinal symptoms related to feeding due to an organic cause or in the absence of any etiology. H. pylori infection is one of the most prevalent etiologies which is often detected using a rapid urease test. This study aimed to correlate the clinical-endoscopic profile in dyspeptic patients and find out the prevalence of H. pylori infection among those patients.

This observational cross-sectional study was conducted from 1st August, 2024 to 31st January, 2025 in a tertiary care hospital in Nepal after obtaining ethical clearance from the Institutional Review Committee (Reference number: NMC-IRC/01-081/082). A total of 180 patients aged 18 years and above with dyspeptic symptoms for more than three months were included by total enumeration sampling. Data were collected using a structured proforma, and upper gastrointestinal endoscopy with rapid urease testing was performed. All collected data were entered and analysed using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences version 16.0.

Of the 180 participants, 83 (46.11%) were male and 97 (53.89%) were female. Retrosternal burning was reported by 165 (91.67%) participants and upper abdominal pain by 118 (65.56%). Among the 180 participants, 81 (45.00%) reported current smoking and 67 (37.22%) reported alcohol consumption.

This study highlights that a large proportion of dyspeptic patients were diagnosed with acid peptic disease, and a high prevalence of Helicobacter pylori infection was observed using rapid urease testing compared to previous studies.