©The Author(s) 2019. Published by Baishideng Publishing Group Inc. All rights reserved.
World J Gastroenterol. Jan 14, 2019; 25(2): 178-189
Published online Jan 14, 2019. doi: 10.3748/wjg.v25.i2.178
Published online Jan 14, 2019. doi: 10.3748/wjg.v25.i2.178
Prevention of overuse: A view on upper gastrointestinal endoscopy
Judith J de Jong, Marten A Lantinga, Joost PH Drenth, Department of Gastroenterology, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen 6500 HB, The Netherlands
Author contributions: de Jong JJ and Lantinga MA contributed to conception and design of the work, and interpretation of the data, and drafted the manuscript; Drenth JPH contributed to conception of the work, interpretation of the data, and revised the manuscript critically for important intellectual content.
Conflict-of-interest statement: The authors declare no conflicts of interest.
Corresponding author: Joost PH Drenth, MD, PhD, Professor of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Head, Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Radboud University Medical Center, P.O. Box 9101, Nijmegen 6500 HB, The Netherlands. joost.drenth@radboudumc.nl
Telephone: +31-24-3613999 Fax: +31-24-3635129
Received: October 30, 2018
Peer-review started: November 1, 2018
First decision: November 22, 2018
Revised: December 6, 2018
Accepted: December 13, 2018
Article in press: December 13, 2018
Published online: January 14, 2019
Processing time: 78 Days and 23.5 Hours
Peer-review started: November 1, 2018
First decision: November 22, 2018
Revised: December 6, 2018
Accepted: December 13, 2018
Article in press: December 13, 2018
Published online: January 14, 2019
Processing time: 78 Days and 23.5 Hours
Core Tip
Core tip: Strategies to halt overuse of upper gastrointestinal (GI) endoscopies are called for. Dyspepsia represents the indication for the majority of inappropriate upper GI endoscopies and provides a target for intervention. In this review, we describe four strategies that can be used to reduce upper GI endoscopies. While all strategies individually impact the number of performed endoscopies, a collaboration of improved guideline adherence, decision-making assistance, symptom management and Helicobacter pylori screening is most likely to change referral practice.