An audit of histopathological reports of chronic gastritis in a Nigerian tertiary hospital using the updated Sydney system

Abstract

Objective: To audit the degree of completeness of histopathological reports of chronic gastritis for prognostic information in a tertiary care hospital in the light of the updated Sydney system.

Material and Methods: One hundred and eighteen (118) reports of chronic gastritis from January to December 2014 were reviewed against the requirements of the updated Sydney system for the histological reporting of chronic gastritis from endoscopic gastric biopsy specimens.

Results: Majority of our reports still do not comply with the requirements of the updated Sydney system for the reporting of chronic gastritis from endoscopic gastric biopsies, for instance, only 26.3% contained information on the topography of gastritis, while 32.2% made any comments concerning aetiology. The percentages are much lower as for the reporting of graded variables.

Conclusion: The quality of histopathological reports of chronic gastritis is unsatisfactory overall, as far as the Sydney system is concerned. Many of our reports do not contain most of its important elements or completely ignore its use. We strongly recommend that our pathologists should fully embrace this system of reportage for chronic gastritis in line with international best practice.