Histopathological Pattern of Gastric Biopsies: Experience in a Tertiary Institution in Northern Nigeria and Review of Literature

Abstract

Background: Disorders of the stomach are a frequent cause of clinical disease and a major reason for general and gastrointestinal outpatient clinics visits. We undertook this study to evaluate and document the pattern of gastric lesions in a tertiary institution in northern Nigeria.
Methodology: The study included a total of 543 cases of gastric biopsies received at the Pathology department of Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital from January 2009 to December 2015.
Results: There were 346 (63.7%) males and 197 (36.3%) females with a male to female ratio of 1.8:1. The ages of the Patients ranged from 12 to 100 years with a mean age of 51 years. There were 420 (77.3%) non-neoplastic and 123 (22.3%) neoplastic lesions. Chronic gastritis (388/71.5%) and Adenocarcinoma (111/20.4%) constituted the most common non-neoplastic and neoplastic lesions seen respectively. The gastritis was superficial in 237 (61.1%) cases, active in 50 (12.9%) cases and atrophic in 37 (9.5%) cases. Helicobacter pylori organisms were detected in 62 (16%) cases. Helicobacter pylori gastritis was active in 52 (13.4%) cases, atrophic in 9 (2.3%) cases and metaplastic in 1 (0.3%) case. The other non-neoplastic lesions consisted of 14 (3.3%) cases of reactive gastritis, 9 (2.1%) cases of benign ulcer, 6 (1.4%) cases of non-chronic gastritis, and 3 (0.7%) cases of hyperplastic gastropathy.
Conclusion: Chronic gastritis is prevalent in our environment with a H.pylori associated gastritis prevalence that is lower than the results of most studies in Nigeria. Adenocarcinoma is a common gastric lesion in our locality with a low frequency of premalignant histologic changes.