WHAT IS THE CLINICAL IMPORTANCE OF WHITE SPOTS IN THE DUODENUM?

Gastroskopi Duodneum İntestinal enfanjiekta i ölyak astalığı Abstract Aim: The aim of this study was to evaluate the incidence, etiological factors, and clinical importance of white spots in the duodenum. Material and Method: In total, 127 patients who were diagnosed as having white spots in the duodenum during an upper gastrointestinal endoscopic examination were included. Two duodenal biopsies were conducted from the second portion of the duodenum that contained the white spots. All biopsy samples were evaluated by a single expert pathologist. Results: Of the 127 patients, 57 (44.9 ) were men and 70 (55.1 ) were women. The mean age was 43.27 ± 16.7 years (range: 18–72 years). The histological examinations revealed the following pathologies in decreasing order: nonspecific chronic duodenitis (73.2 ), intestinal lymphangiectasia (13.3 ), intraepithelial lymphocytosis (11 ), and villus atrophy (2.3 ). Finally, celiac disease was diagnosed in six patients who presented with intraepithelial lymphocytosis or villus atrophy but who had no specific feature of celiac disease upon an endoscopic examination. Discussion: This study showed that the prevalence of white spots in the duodenum is 4.8 . Specific disorders were diagnosed in thirty-seven of the cases studied. A careful examination of the second part of the duodenum could provide for a better diagnosis of a serious disease.