OBJECTIVE: To describe the profile of the pediatric esophagogastroduodenoscopy examinations performed electively in children at the University Hospital of the Federal University of Sergipe, in Northeast Brazil. METHODS: This cross-sectional study was conducted in pediatric patients admitted to the endoscopy service of the University Hospital. Clinical data were collected by interviews with children's parents or caregivers and research of medical records. The resultant variables from the endoscopy examination were the anatomical and histopatologic findings, and the urease test. RESULTS: 21 patients, with a mean age of 8.9±3.6 years, were studied; 52% of them were females and 57% came from rural areas of the state. Urease test was performed in 17 (81%) patients and resulted positive in eight (47%) of them. Out of the 21 patients, 14 (67%) had some endoscopic abnormality. Among the 17 children that had biopsies performed, 15 (88%) showed abnormal results. Histopathological search of Helicobacter pylori was performed in 15 patients and the results were positive in 60%. This agent was isolated in all five children with endoscopic diagnosis of nodular antral gastritis. No complications of the procedure were noted in the studied patients. CONCLUSIONS: In a series of pediatric cases clinically selected, anatomical and histopatologics findings and the urease test obtained by esophagogastroduodenoscopy identified alterations in most patients and it was carried out safely.
endoscopy; Helicobacter pylory; child
