Upper Gastrointestinal Endoscopic Screening in Bariatric Surgery Candidates: Correlating the Findings with GERD symptoms

Introduction The role of routine preoperative esophagogastroduodenoscopy (EGD) in bariatric surgery candidates is controversial. This study compares preoperative EGD outcomes with patient-reported gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) symptoms to determine if a case-based EGD is appropriate. Patients and Methods A prospective cohort study was conducted from April 2022 through September 2023 in Mashhad, Iran. All patients underwent EGD. To assess GERD symptoms, we used the GERD-Health Related Quality of Life questionnaire. Patients were categorized into two groups: the asymptomatic group (GERD-HRQL = 0) and the symptomatic group (GERD-HRQL > 0). Results A total of 165 patients were included, out of which 133 (80.6%) were in the symptomatic group and 32 (19.4%) were in the asymptomatic group. Esophagitis was present in 41 (24.8%) patients. There was no significant difference in the frequency of esophagitis (18.8% vs. 26.3%, p -value = 0.37), hiatal hernia (18.8% vs. 18.8%, p -value = 1.00), gastritis (56.3% vs. 63.9%, p -value = 0.42), and H. pylori infection (9.4% vs. 12.0%, p -value = 1.00) between the asymptomatic and symptomatic groups, respectively. None of the demographic factors or comorbidities of asymptomatic patients were associated with esophagitis, except for hiatal hernia (OR = 7.67, 95% CI 3.01–19.53, p -value