Jorge Andre Cartazo Peixoto - Postgraduation Program in Sciences Health, Faculty Medicine ABC, São Paulo, Brazil
Modesto Leite Rolim Neto - Departament of Medicine, University of Federal do Ceará, Brazil

Background: The relation of digestive symptoms and pathologies seen at endoscopy in adolescents is not well established and controversial. Purpose: This study had the objective of investigate the relation of digestive signs and symptoms and the presence of endoscopic findings. Methods: A prospective study was conducted between April 2005 and September 2005. 162 adolescents were studied, 120 female and 42 male ordered to endoscopy. To determine the symptoms one used a questionaire with digestive symptoms. To make a diagnose, the adolescents were submitted to endoscopy and biopsied according to the Sydney System modified by Dixon. To detect Helicobacter pylori was used two methods, urease test and histopathological exam. Results: There was a significant correlation between the presence of Helicobacter pylori and epigastric pain. Gastritis at endoscopy was two times more frequent in patients with epigastric pain than in patients without it. Esophagitis occurred more in patients with heartburn, this was statistical significant. The others digestive symptoms were not related to endoscopic and histopathological findings. Conclusion: These data confirm the importance of investigate adolescents with digestive symptoms like epigastric pain and heartburn, mainly in developed countries.

endoscopy, adolescents, dyspepsia, clinical-endoscopical correlation