[Colorectal polyps: clinical, endoscopic, and histopathologic features]

Abstract

Aim: To evaluate the prevalence of colorectal polyps in a population from North- Eastern Romania, which underwent colonoscopic examination and to identify their clinical, endoscopic and histopathologic characteristics.

Methods: A retrospective prevalence study of subjects aged 18-95 years, with no personal or familial history of familial adenomatous polyposis and inflammatory bowel disease, who underwent a colonoscopy. The number, size, gross endoscopic appearance, histopathological examination, and the anatomic location of colorectal polyps were analyzed, as well as the associated diseases.

Results: Enrolled were 1001 patients (647 men, 354 women), aged 18-95 years (mean: 62.8 +/- 11.4 years) who were diagnosed with colorectal polyps. Overall, there were 1.534 colorectal polyps, and the majority of them (83.0%) were present in patients over the age of 50 years, from urban area (73.9%) and most of the patients were men (63.8%), and had solitary polyps (61.1%). Three-quarters of polyps were distal (rectum, sigmoid, and descendent colon) in location, and most of them (75.8%) had a size less than 10 mm. Over half of all polyps (54.7%) were pedunculated. Based on the histological structural configuration, 76.5% of all polyps were adenomas, and of these 62.6% were tubular adenomas; malignant polyps have been diagnosed in 82 (5.4%) patients. Associated hemorrhoids, diverticulosis, colorectal cancer, and angiodysplasia were identified in 9.6%, 10% and 1.3%, respectively.

Conclusion: The prevalence of colorectal polyps in our geographical area is in the range with that observed in other regions of our country. Most of polyps were identified in patients older than 50 years, predominantly men, located in distal colon, had a tubular adenoma histological structure, and frequently associated with hemorrhoids and diverticular disease.