Gastric polyps: a 10-year analysis of 18,496 upper endoscopies

Area of Science:

• Gastroenterology
• Endoscopy
• Pathology

Background:

• Gastric polyps (GPs) are common upper gastrointestinal lesions, typically benign and asymptomatic.
• Prevalence of GPs in esophagogastroduodenoscopies (EGD) ranges from 1-3% globally.
• Understanding the specific types and associated factors of GPs is crucial for patient management.

Purpose of the Study:

• To determine the frequency of different gastric polyp types in the studied population.
• To analyze potential associations between gastric polyps and patient demographics, medical history, and polyp characteristics.
• To evaluate the management and outcomes of gastric polyps.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective review of 18,496 esophagogastroduodenoscopies (EGD) performed over 10 years.
• Analysis of 86 patients diagnosed with gastric polyps, collecting demographic, clinical, and histological data.
• Histopathological examination of 127 polyps and assessment of treatment strategies.

Main Results:

• Gastric polyps were identified in 0.46% of EGDs, with 141 polyps analyzed.
• Hyperplastic polyps (55.9%) were most frequent, followed by fundic gland polyps (18.1%).
• Anemia, single polyp, and size ≥5mm were associated with hyperplastic polyps; size <10mm with fundic gland polyps.

Conclusions:

• The prevalence of gastric polyps in this population was 0.36%, with hyperplastic and fundic gland polyps being most common.
• Specific factors are linked to hyperplastic and fundic gland polyps, aiding in their characterization.
• High Helicobacter pylori infection rates in the region may contribute to the observed frequency of these gastric polyps.