Background: Frequency of H.pylori infection in the elderly with dyspepsia is unknown in Iran. The aim of this study was to compare manifestations and endoscopic/pathologic findings in elderly and non- elderly population in a teaching hospital.

Materials and methods: In this cross sectional study, all patients over 18 years with dyspepsia admitted to our hospital over a period 6 months were studied. All adult patients (below 60 years) and elderly patients (over 60 years) diagnosed with dyspepsia were examined and underwent upper gastrointestinal endoscopy. Analysis was performed using chi square, in order to find correlation between symptoms and endoscopic and pathologic findings of patients with dyspepsia and age.

Results: Totally, 500 patients (250 elderly) were studied. The mean (±SD) age of elderly and others were 76±2.8 years and 41±3.3 years, respectively. Our results showed that the frequency of H.pylori infection in elderly was 66% in comparison of 34.8% in adults (p<0.005). In endoscopic findings, frequency of erosive duodonitis (p=0.031) and duodenal deformity (p=0.025) increased with age. In pathologic findings, frequency of dysplasia and metaplasia in the elderly was more than others (p<0.05). 

Conclusion: Upper endoscopy screening may be an effective technique for early detection of H.pylori infection and its complications, such as metaplasia and dysplasia, in the elderly.

Keywords: Dyspepsia, Upper GI endoscopy, Elderly.