Peptic Ulcer Disease in Patients with Cirrhosis in the Hepato-Gastroenterology Department of the Yalgado Ouedraogo University Hospital in Ouagadougou

Abstract

Background: Cirrhosis, the final stage in the evolution of most chronic liver diseases, is a major concern for practitioners and patients alike. The association of peptic ulcer disease and cirrhosis poses pathogenic and therapeutic problems. Aims: To study peptic ulcer disease in patients with cirrhosis in the Hepato-Gastroenterology Department of the Yalgado Ouédraogo University Hospital. Patients and Methods: This retrospective study examines the prevalence and characteristics of peptic ulcer disease (PUD) in 111 patients with cirrhosis at a Burkina Faso hospital between 1 January 2018 to 31 December 2022. Patients with cirrhosis hospitalised in the Hepato-Gastroenterology Department of the Yalgado Ouédraogo University Hospital were included. The diagnosis of cirrhosis was based on histological or elastometric criteria, or a combination of clinical, biological and morphological arguments. Results: A total of 111 patients were included, 79 of whom were men (71.2%). The mean age was 47.6 years with a standard deviation of 13.4 years. Forty-eight patients (43.2%) had peptic ulcer disease. Of these, 36 had gastric ulcers, three had duodenal ulcers and nine had both gastric and duodenal ulcers. The ulcer was located in the antrum in 75% of cases. The ulcer was asymptomatic in 38 patients (79.2%). One hundred and one patients (91%) had cirrhosis of B viral origin. Patients classified as Child-Pugh C accounted for 51.4% of cases. In multivariate analysis, there were no significant differences in terms of age, sex, alcohol or tobacco consumption, or stage of cirrhosis severity between patients with and without peptic ulcer disease. Conclusion: Our study showed a high prevalence of peptic ulcer disease in patients with cirrhosis. In our context, an upper gastrointestinal endoscopy should be performed as part of the initial health assessment of any patient with cirrhosis to look for signs of portal hypertension and peptic ulcer disease.