Prevalence and Endoscopic Findings in Adult Patients with Dyspepsia: A Descriptive Prospective Cross-Sectional Study in Jalalabad, Nangarhar Province, Afghanistan

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Published Jan 31, 2026
https://doi.org/10.70436/nuijb.v4i04.407
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Vol. 4 No. 04 (2025): December

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Haidari Said Rahatullah
Nangarhar Regional Hospital

Abstract

The objective of this study was to identify the prevalence and range of endoscopic findings in adult patients with dyspepsia. This descriptive prospective cross-sectional study assessed 250 adult patients who underwent endoscopic evaluation between January and September 2025. Socio-demographic analysis showed that females constituted 56% of patients, and the most affected age group was 40–49 years (36%), followed by 31–39 years (28%). Most patients were married (72%) and illiterate (64%), with a nearly equal distribution between rural (52%) and urban (48%) residents. Quantitative endoscopic findings revealed that 95 patients (38%) had gastritis, 45 (18%) had gastric ulcers, 30 (12%) had duodenal ulcers, 35 (14%) had esophagitis, and 45 (18%) had normal endoscopic results. The endoscopic evaluation identified a wide spectrum of abnormalities across the esophagus, stomach, and duodenum. Esophageal abnormalities included reflux esophagitis, drug-induced esophagitis, esophageal candidiasis, CMV esophagitis, esophageal varices, diverticula, hiatus hernia, and esophageal new growths. Gastric endoscopic findings comprised erosive gastritis, gastric ulcers, gastric polyps, fundal and pyloric new growths, ectopic pancreas, gastric varices, and features consistent with linitis plastica. Intestinal involvement was characterized by erosive duodenitis, multiple duodenal ulcers, and duodenal candidiasis. The findings suggest that dyspepsia primarily affects middle-aged, married, and illiterate individuals, highlighting the crucial role of endoscopy in identifying a range of underlying causes. This study was conducted at a single center, which may limit the generalizability of the findings.

Keywords

Dyspepsia, Endoscopy, Esophageal, conditions, Gastric, abnormalities, Duodenal, ulcers

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Author Biography

Haidari Said Rahatullah, Nangarhar Regional Hospital

Haidari Internal Medicine, Gastrointestinal Diseases, GI Endoscopy, and Colonoscopy Center in Jalalabad, Nangarhar Province, Afghanistan.

Chief of Endoscopy Department and Consultant of Internal Medicine Ward at Nangarhar Regional hospital.

How to Cite
Said Rahatullah, H. (2026). Prevalence and Endoscopic Findings in Adult Patients with Dyspepsia: A Descriptive Prospective Cross-Sectional Study in Jalalabad, Nangarhar Province, Afghanistan. Nangarhar University International Journal of Biosciences, 4(04), 1–8. https://doi.org/10.70436/nuijb.v4i04.407

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