Sociodemographic and Diagnostic Aspects of Esophageal Disease in Ouagadougou

Abstract

Esophageal pathologies are a common reason for consultation and endoscopic examination. However, their characterization remains insufficiently documented. The aim of our study was to investigate esophageal pathology in Ouagadougou. Materials and Methods : This was a cross-sectional and analytical study conducted in three health centers in Ouagadougou over five years. We collected the records of patients with esophageal involvement on upper gastrointestinal endoscopy (UGE). Sociodemographic, clinical, and endoscopic data were gathered from endoscopy and histology reports. Results : A total of 4216 patients were included. The mean age of patients was 43.7 years, ranging from one year to 92 years. The sex ratio was 0.97. The main indications for UGE were epigastric pain (47.4%), regurgitation (14.4%), and heartburn (13.9%). Endoscopically, hiatal hernia was the most common lesion, observed in 2555 patients (60.6%), followed by peptic esophagitis, recorded in 2217 patients (52.6%). Regarding tumor pathologies, they were dominated by squamous cell carcinoma, accounting for 58% of cases, while adenocarcinoma made up 42%. Malignant esophageal tumors were rare in our series, but the risk increased significantly from the age of 50 (OR = 12.3; p = 0.020) and were more frequent in men (OR = 2.93; p = 0.023; IC: 1.14 - 7.55) (Men: tumor: 17, no tumor: 2061; Women: tumor: 6, no tumor: 2132). Conclusion : Esophageal pathology is increasingly common. It is dominated by hiatal hernias and peptic esophagitis in our context, confirming the growing impact of gastroesophageal reflux. Conversely, esophageal cancers appear to be uncommon but increase with age. Upper digestive endoscopy thus remains essential for the early identification of lesions related to reflux, preventing their complications and detecting neoplastic forms at an early stage.