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World J Gastrointest Endosc. Jun 16, 2011; 3(6): 118-123
Published online Jun 16, 2011. doi: 10.4253/wjge.v3.i6.118
Regular arrangement of collecting venules: Does patient age affect its accuracy?
Alshimaa Alaboudy, Ashraf Elbahrawy, Shigemi Matsumoto, Ghada M Galal, Tsutomu Chiba
Alshimaa Alaboudy, Ashraf Elbahrawy, Shigemi Matsumoto, Tsutomu Chiba, Department of Endoscopy, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, Kyoto 606-8507, Japan
Alshimaa Alaboudy, Ashraf Elbahrawy, Tsutomu Chiba, Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, Kyoto 606-8507, Japan
Alshimaa Alaboudy, Ghada M Galal, Department of Tropical Medicine and Gastroenterology, Faculty of Medicine, Sohag University, Sohag 82-524, Egypt
Ashraf Elbahrawy, Department of Internal Medicine, Al-Azhar University, Cairo 11-884, Egypt
Shigemi Matsumoto, Translational Clinical Oncology and Outpatient, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, Kyoto 606-8507, Japan
Author contributions: Alaboudy A designed the study, collected and analyzed the data and wrote the first draft manuscript; Elbahrawy A and Matsumoto S designed the study, collected the data and revised the manuscript; Galal GM revised the manuscript; and Chiba T revised the manuscript and supervised the work.
Correspondence to: Shigemi Matsumoto, MD, PhD, Translational Clinical Oncology and Outpatient, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, 54kawahara-cho, Shogoin, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto 606-8507, Japan. motocame@kuhp.kyoto-u.ac.jp
Telephone: +81-75-751-4770 Fax:+81-75-751-4772
Received: December 17, 2010
Revised: April 24, 2011
Accepted: May 4, 2011
Published online: June 16, 2011
Abstract

AIM: To address the diagnostic value of the regular arrangement of collecting venules (RAC) among old age patients.

METHODS: A total of 390 consecutive patients whose Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) status was known and who received upper gastrointestinal endoscopy, were retrospectively studied for the presence or absence of RAC as well as gastric mucosal atrophy. The sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, negative predictive value and accuracy of RAC to detect normal gastric mucosa were assessed and were compared among two different age groups of patients.

RESULTS: The mean age ± standard deviation (SD) of included patients (n = 390), was 62.9 ± 13 years. The sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, negative predictive value and accuracy of RAC to detect normal gastric mucosa were 91.7%, 66.1%, 18.8%, 99% and 68.1% respectively. Although the sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, negative predictive value and accuracy of RAC among patients < 60 years (n = 139) was 94.7%, 71.2%, 46.2%, 98.1%and 76.1%, respectively, it was 80%, 64.3%, 5.1%, 93% and 64.6%, respectively, among patients ≥ 60 years (n = 251). Younger Patients (< 60 years), have highly significant rates of RAC sensitivity, positive predictive value, and accuracy (P ≤ 0.001, ≤ 0.001 and ≤ 0.02, respectively). Older patients had highly significant rates of H. pylori infection and gastric mucosal atrophy (P≤ 0.01).

CONCLUSION: Although RAC is a valuable sign for real-time identification of normal gastric mucosa, its accuracy seems to be affected by the patient’s age.

Keywords: Regular arrangement of collecting venules; Normal stomach; Age; Accuracy; Endoscopy