Ultrasound of the Upper Digestive Tube as an Objective Argument for Initiating the Treatment and Evaluation of Its Results for the Dyspeptic Patient

Objective: The study evaluates the effectiveness of dyspeptic patients’ treatment to whom we have combined abdominal ultrasound with clinical examination at the start and also at the end of the treatment. Indirectly, the value of the abdominal ultrasound use for management of dyspeptics patients was assessed.
Material and methods: Our study was a clinical prospective observational study run on 72 patients (sex ratio F / M = 41/31, mean age 48±16 years) with dyspeptic symptoms and ultrasonographic changes in the oeso-gastro-duodenal aspect. The use of NSAID was investigated. The detection of anti-Helicobacter pylori antibodies was recommended for the start of the aetiological treatment . Anti-secretive treatment was prescribed for a period of three weeks and, in some cases, prochinetic treatment or eradication treatment were associated. Patients were then submitted to a clinical and ultrasonographic follow-up, at the end of the treatment. Points were awarded for the most common five clinical simptoms and four echographic signs and a score was calculated. The change in this score was searched fo. Statistical analysis was performd with software Microsoft Excel 2007, using the T student test.
Results: We obtained a record percentage improvement in each symptom, a highly significant average improvement of all symptoms after treatment (p < 0.01), and a decrease in the number of symptomes on a patient after the treatment. We also obtained an obvious improvement of ultrasound objective signs at the end of the treatment (p < 0.01).
Conclusions: Abdominal ultrasound can be a tool in assessing diagnosis and the initiation of the treatment of dyspeptic patients, but also a method of following the evolution of objective events under treatment .