Appropriateness and diagnostic yield of open access gastroscopy in two tertiary centers in South-western Nigeria.

Background: There is need for the appropriate use of gastroscopy. Objective: To determine the appropriateness of upper gastrointestinal endoscopy, and its association with significant endoscopy findings in our environment. Methods: This was a prospective study of subjects who underwent gastroscopy at two centers in south-western Nigeria between August 2020 and August 2021. Indications were classified as either appropriate or inappropriate according to the ASGE guidelines, gastroscopic findings as either significant or not significant, patients as either elderly (≥ 60 years) or not, inpatients or outpatients, and referrals as either gastroenterologist referral, or not. Results: There were 227 subjects, 131 (57.7%) females, mean age 45 ± 13.7 years. Fifteen percent were elderly, 65.6% were gastroenterologist referrals, 14.1% were inpatients, while 45.8% had co-morbidities. Endoscopy was appropriately indicated in 81.9%, and significant endoscopy findings were detected in 95.6%. Appropriateness was not associated with significant endoscopy findings. The sensitivity, specificity and AUROC of the ASGE guidelines were 10%, 82%, and 0.46 respectively. Conclusion: According to our study, most procedures are appropriately indicated. However, appropriateness did not determine endoscopy yield. Larger studies are needed to determine the utility of the ASGE guidelines in our environment.

Hepatocellular carcinoma presentation and prognosis among Nigerian adults with and without HIV.

INTRODUCTION: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is an increasing cause of mortality in Nigeria among persons with HIV (PLH), as access to antiretroviral therapy (ART) improves. In this study we describe clinical, radiological, and laboratory characteristics in Nigerian adults with HCC, with and without HIV, and examine how HIV impacts survival. METHODS: This prospective observational study was conducted between August 2018 and November 2021 at two Nigerian hospitals [Jos University Teaching Hospital (JUTH) and Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH)]. Subjects ≥18 years with HCC diagnosed according to American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases (AASLD) criteria were included. Baseline characteristics were compared, and Kaplan-Meier curves were generated to estimate survival. RESULTS: 213 subjects [177 (83%) without HIV and 36 (17%) with HIV (PLH)] were enrolled. Median age was 52 years (IQR 42,60) and most subjects were male (71%). 83% PLH were on antiretroviral therapy (ART). Hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) positivity was similar between the two groups [91/177 (51%) without HIV vs. 18/36 (50%) with HIV; p = 0.86]. 46/213 (22%) subjects had active hepatitis C (anti-HCV+/HCV RNA>10 IU/mL). Cirrhosis was more common in PLH but there were no other significant differences in clinical and tumor characteristics between the groups. Overall, 99% subjects were symptomatic and 78% in late-stage HCC. Median overall survival was significantly shorter in PLH vs. without HIV (0.98 months vs 3.02 months, HR = 1.55, 95%CI 1.02, 2.37, p = 0.04). This association was not significant after adjusting for known risk factors including gender, current alcohol use, alpha-fetoprotein (AFP), albumin, and total bilirubin (HR = 1.38, 95%CI 0.84, 2.29, p = 0.21). CONCLUSION: HCC presented late with an extremely poor overall prognosis, highlighting the urgent need for more intensive surveillance in Nigeria to diagnose HCC at earlier stages. Early diagnosis and management of viral hepatitis, and access to HCC therapies, could prevent early mortality among persons with HCC, especially among PLH.

Solitary peutz-jeghers type hamartoma in a Nigerian: A case report of a rare finding and review of literature.

Background: We report a case of solitary Peutz-Jeghers (P-J) type hamartomatous polyp in the sigmoid colon of an asymptomatic Nigerian without other diagnostic criteria for full-blown P-J syndrome. Case Report: During colonoscopy for a 58-year-old man, a solitary, pedunculated polyp was seen in the sigmoid colon. Histopathological examination of the endoscopically resected mass revealed the classical features of P-J type hamartoma. A search for lentigines on the skin or mucous buccal membranes was negative. There is no family history of such findings. Conclusion: The case here presented is truly rare as a review of the scientific literature appears, to the best of our knowledge, not to contain such a unique presentation from our locality nor indeed from among Black Africans. We conducted a review of the literature and wished to highlight the evolving concept that solitary P-J polyps be considered a distinct disease entity when it appears in the absence of other features of the syndrome complex.

RésuméContexte: Nous rapportons un cas de polype hamartomateux solitaire de type Peutz ­ Jeghers (P J) dans le côlon sigmoïde d'un Nigérian asymptomatique sans autres critères diagnostiques du syndrome P J complet. Rapport de cas: Au cours de la coloscopie d'un homme de 58 ans, un polype solitaire pédonculé a été observé dans le côlon sigmoïde. L'examen histopathologique de la masse réséquée par voie endoscopique a révélé les caractéristiques classiques de l'hamartome de type PJ. Une recherche de lentigines sur la peau ou les muqueuses buccales a été négative. Il n'y a pas d'antécédents familiaux de telles découvertes. Conclusion: Le cas présenté ici est vraiment rare car une revue de la littérature scientifique semble, à notre connaissance, ne pas contenir une présentation aussi unique de notre localité ni même des Noirs africains. Nous avons effectué une revue de la littérature et avons souhaité mettre en évidence le concept évolutif selon lequel les polypes P J solitaires doivent être considérés comme une entité pathologique distincte lorsqu'ils apparaissent en l'absence d'autres caractéristiques du complexe du syndrome. Mots clés: Coloscopie, pigmentation mucocutanée, Nigéria, syndrome de Peutz ­ Jeghers, hamartome de Peutz ­ Jeghers solitaire.