Gastric polyps: Retrospective analysis of 41,253 upper endoscopies

Gastric polyps are usually asymptomatic lesions incidentally discovered during endoscopy.

To study the frequency of different types of gastric polyps in our population and their possible association with other factors.

Retrospective study of gastroscopies performed in a tertiary hospital over a ten-year period. Demographics, medical history, indication for gastroscopy and morphological and histological characteristics of polyps were collected.

Gastric polyps were found in 827 out of 41253 (2%) reviewed gastroscopies, corresponding to 709 patients. Mean age was 65.6 years, and 62% were female. 53.9% of patients had multiple polyps. The most common location was the fundus and 83.3% were smaller than 1cm. Histopathology was obtained in 607 patients: hyperplastic polyps were the most common (42.8%), followed by fundic gland polyps (37.7%). Factors independently associated with hyperplastic polyps were age and single polyp, size ≥6mm and location other than fundus. In contrast, fundic gland polyps were associated with reflux and multiple polyps, size <6mm and located in fundus. Adenomas were independently associated with single polyp.

Fundic gland and hyperplastic polyps are the most common in our population and have characteristic features that can guide histological diagnosis. With single polyps it is advisable to take biopsies to rule out adenoma.