Predictive value of symptoms and demographics in diagnosing malignancy or peptic stricture

Table 1 Demographics and clinical features of the first 2000 patients referred to the dysphagia hotline (%)

Demographics
Age	< 60 yr	60-73 yr	> 73 yr
	26.4	34.9	38.7
Sex	Male	Female
	48.5	51.5
Clinical features
Nature of dysphagia	Solids	Liquids	Both
	79.6	0.7	19.7
Symptoms progressive	Yes	No
	40	60
“True” dysphagia	Dysphagia	Globus
	81.3	18.7
Weight loss ≥ 2 kg in past 3 mo	Yes	No
	28.5	71.5
Presence of reflux	Yes	No
	60.6	39.4
Duration of dysphagia	< 8 wk	8-26 wk	> 26 wk
	34.5	42	23.5

Table 2 Demographics and clinical features suggestive of malignancy in a dysphagic population

	Odds ratio	95% CI		Significance
		Lower	Upper
Sex (male)	3.358	2.273	4.961	0.000
Progressive	1.807	1.259	2.593	0.001
Weight loss
≥ 2 kg	3.572	2.501	5.104	0.000
Reflux	0.528	0.369	0.754	0.000
Age
< 60 yr	0.529	0.320	0.872	0.013
60-73 yr	1.170	0.788	1.737	0.437
Duration
< 8 wk	11.019	4.897	24.794	0.000
8-26 wk	6.936	3.124	15.398	0.000

Logistic regression analysis by the Enter method of 1400 patients investigated for dysphagia showing odds ratio with 95% CI and significance level compared to female patients, without progressive symptoms, without 2 kg or more weight loss, without reflux symptoms, aged over 73 years and with symptom duration of greater than 26 wk. The level of dysphagia (pharyngeal, mid chest or lower retrosternal) and the type of dysphagia (to liquids, solids or both) were removed as these were not statistically significant.