Retrospective evaluation of upper gastrointestinal endoscopy findings of patients diagnosed with liver cirrhosis

Aim: The aim of the study is to evaluate the endoscopy findings and endoscopic biopsy results of patients with liver cirrhosis who applied to the Gastroenterology outpatient clinic of Hitit University Erol Olçok Training and Research Hospital with the control group and to determine whether there is a clinical and laboratory difference between H. pylori positive cirrhosis patients and the negative group. Materials and Methods: Upper gastrointestinal system (GIS) endoscopy findings of cirrhosis patients who applied to the gastroenterology outpatient clinic between October 2021 and December 2022 were retrospectively examined. Additionally, patients who underwent endoscopy due to dyspepsia were included as a control group. Endoscopy and biopsy findings were compared between the groups. Patients with cirrhosis were divided into two groups according to whether they were H. pylori positive or not. Laboratory characteristics, endoscopy results and endoscopic biopsy results of all participants were recorded. Results: In our study, the H. pylori rate was found to be 43.4% in the control group and 23.3% in the patient group. The frequency of H. pylori was found to be statistically lower in those with cirrhosis than in those without (p<0.001). It was observed that 47.7% of all chronic gastritis cases were H. pylori positive. In the distribution of the presence of chronic gastritis between the groups, it was detected as 84.4% in the control group and 51.7% in the patient group, and a significant difference was detected (p<0.001). The gastric atrophy rate was found to be 35.7% in the H. pylori positive patient group, and 9.4% in the H. pylori positive control group, and this rate was found to be statistically significant (p = 0.004). The presence of atrophy was detected in 35.7% of cirrhosis patients who were H. pylori positive and in 7.6% of cirrhosis patients who were H. pylori negative, and a significant difference was detected (p<0.001). Model for End Stage Disease-Sodium (MELD-Na) score, which is an important indicator of cirrhosis prognosis between the two groups, was not found to be statistically significant. No significant correlation was found between gender, etiological factor, other endoscopic findings and laboratory findings regarding the presence of H. pylori. Conclusion: H. pylori infection is less common in patients with cirrhosis than in the control group. The frequencies of peptic ulcer, gastric polyp, gastric atrophy in pathological examination, intestinal metaplasia and dysplasia were found to be similar in both groups. It was determined that the presence of H. pylori did not cause any deterioration in the prognosis of cirrhosis. Keywords: Liver cirrhosis, H. pylori, MELD, Upper Gastrointestinal Endoscopy