UPPER GASTROINTESTINAL ENDOSCOPY IN CENTRAL AUSTRALIAN ABORIGINES

Objectives: To examine the upper gastrointestinal endoscopic findings in Australian Aborigines in central Australia; to determine if peptic ulceration occurs in this group; and to discover whether this populati on shares Helicobacter pylori as a risk factor for peptic ulceration. Methods: A retrospective analysis of the records of all Aboriginal pat ients undergoing endoscopy at a general hospital over a two-year perio d. Results: Eighty-five endoscopies were performed in 64 patients. Hae matemesis and melaena was the indication for 24 patients (more commonl y in men) and a cause was identified in 83% of these patients; varices were the cause in 17%. Pain was an indication for 25 patients (more c ommonly in females) and abnormalities were detected in 64%. Peptic ulc eration was found in nine patients and a further 23 had gastritis or d uodenitis. Cases of oesophageal, gastric and duodenal malignancy were seen, as well as late complications of simple diseases, including gast ric outlet obstruction, oesophageal stricture and cholecystoduodenal f istula formation. Of 17 gastric biopsies with evidence of inflammation , H. pylori was found in 15 (88%). Conclusion: This, the first study o f upper gastrointestinal endoscopy in Aborigines, shows its usefulness in the investigation of their gastrointestinal complaints. Oesophagea l varices were found to be an important cause of bleeding. Peptic ulce ration associated with H. pylori was found to be common.