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RESULTS: Of 168 patients, delays >2 weeks were common (44% clinical assessment; 50% endoscopy), and earlier endoscopy improved outcomes. CONCLUSION: Endoscopy within 2 weeks offers significant benefit; optimized referral pathways are needed.",{"@graph":14,"@context":73},[15,34,56],{"@type":16,"itemListElement":17},"BreadcrumbList",[18,23,27,31],{"item":19,"name":20,"@type":21,"position":22},"https://docshare.wps.com","Home","ListItem",1,{"item":24,"name":25,"@type":21,"position":26},"https://docshare.wps.com/document/","Document",2,{"item":28,"name":29,"@type":21,"position":30},"https://docshare.wps.com/document/healthcare/","Healthcare",3,{"item":32,"name":10,"@type":21,"position":33},"https://docshare.wps.com/document/impact-of-referral-delays-on-dysphagia-outcomes-in-a-saudi-tertiary-center/406442/",4,{"url":32,"name":10,"@type":35,"image":36,"author":41,"headline":10,"publisher":44,"fileFormat":47,"inLanguage":8,"description":12,"dateModified":48,"datePublished":49,"encodingFormat":47,"isAccessibleForFree":50,"interactionStatistic":51},"DigitalDocument",{"url":37,"@type":38,"width":39,"height":40},"https://docshare.wps.com/thumbnails/impact-of-referral-delays-on-dysphagia-outcomes-in-a-saudi-tertiary-center/406442.png","ImageObject",300,407,{"name":42,"@type":43},"Adam","Person",{"url":19,"name":45,"@type":46},"DocShare","Organization","application/pdf","2026-10-31","2026-09-28",true,{"@type":52,"interactionType":53,"userInteractionCount":55},"InteractionCounter",{"@type":54},"ViewAction",9,{"@type":57,"mainEntity":58},"FAQPage",[59,65,69],{"name":60,"@type":61,"acceptedAnswer":62},"What was the study aim regarding dysphagia referrals?","Question",{"text":63,"@type":64},"To investigate assessment and outcomes of consecutive dysphagia referrals to a tertiary gastroenterology practice.","Answer",{"name":66,"@type":61,"acceptedAnswer":67},"How did referral delays affect endoscopy-related outcomes?",{"text":68,"@type":64},"Patients receiving endoscopy within 2 weeks had a greater improvement (84.6%) than those with delayed referral (76.0%).",{"name":70,"@type":61,"acceptedAnswer":71},"Which dysphagia etiologies were most common and how did malignancy outcomes compare?",{"text":72,"@type":64},"Gastroesophageal reflux disease was most common (45.2%), followed by eosinophilic esophagitis (14.8%) and malignancy (6.5%). Malignant cases were more often referred within 2 weeks, but 67% worsened and 33% died.","https://schema.org",{"og:url":32,"og:type":75,"og:title":10,"og:site_name":45,"og:description":12},"article",{"robots":77,"canonical":32},"index,follow",{"doc_id":79,"site_id":7},406442,1790846611,{"code":4,"msg":82,"data":83},"success",[84,88,92,96,101,106,110,115,119,122,126],{"id":22,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":85,"show_sort_weight":86,"slug":87},"Story & Novel",90,"story-novel",{"id":26,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":89,"show_sort_weight":90,"slug":91},"Literature",80,"literature",{"id":33,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":93,"show_sort_weight":94,"slug":95},"Exam",70,"exam",{"id":97,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":98,"show_sort_weight":99,"slug":100},5,"Comic",60,"comic",{"id":102,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":103,"show_sort_weight":104,"slug":105},6,"Technology",50,"technology",{"id":107,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":29,"show_sort_weight":108,"slug":109},7,40,"healthcare",{"id":111,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":112,"show_sort_weight":113,"slug":114},8,"Research & Report",30,"research-report",{"id":55,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":116,"show_sort_weight":117,"slug":118},"Religion & Spirituality",20,"religion-spirituality",{"id":117,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":120,"show_sort_weight":117,"slug":121},"World Cup","world-cup",{"id":123,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":124,"show_sort_weight":123,"slug":125},10,"Lifestyle","lifestyle",{"id":127,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":128,"show_sort_weight":97,"slug":129},19,"General","general",{"code":4,"msg":82,"data":131},{"doc_id":79,"user_id":132,"nickname":42,"user_avatar":133,"doc_module":4,"category_id":107,"category_name":29,"doc_title":10,"doc_description":12,"doc_content":134,"file_id":135,"file_url":136,"file_type":137,"file_size":138,"view_count":55,"is_deleted":4,"is_public":22,"is_downloadable":22,"audit_status":22,"page_count":139,"language":140,"language_code":8,"site_id":7,"html_lang":8,"table_of_contents":141,"faqs":142,"seo_title":143,"seo_description":12,"update_tm":144,"read_time":145,"preview_page_count":4},1374404737137,"https://ap-avatar.wpscdn.com/davatar_155a257f0dc6eb9ab79c44ca47cae57d","| W | J | G | E | World Journal of\u003Cbr>Gastrointestinal Endoscopy |\n| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |\n\nSubmit a Manuscript: [https://www.f6publishing.com](https://www.f6publishing.com) World J Gastrointest Endosc 2025 December 16; 17(12): 110842  \nDOI: 10.4253/wjge.v17.i12.110842 ISSN 1948-5190 (online)  \nORIGINAL ARTICLE  \nRetrospective Study  \nImpact of referral delays on dysphagia outcomes in a Saudi tertiary center  \nKhaled M AlQahtani, Abdulkreem A AlNasser, Ali M AlQahtani, Abdulaziz A AlTurki, Aseel K Aljaili, Abdulkhaleq H Alamri, Ali S Owayed, Yasser W Asiri, Shakir A Bakkari, Ameen M Jaddoh, Thamer A Aldarsouny, Toufic G Semaan, Mohamed S Elbayoumy, Ibrahim M Alruzug, Alhumidi A Alenezi, Mohammed S Bin-Ofaysan, Mohammed O Alsager, Hatim S Alshahrani, Sultan M Alhaddad, Hisham N Almuhayzi, Rana A Almousa, Awad J Shehada, Adnan A AlMasri, Manhal K Aldaher, Mostafa E Maaly, Ihab M Hafez, Saeed RAlzubide  \nSpecialty type: Gastroenterology and hepatology  \nProvenance and peer review:  \nUnsolicited article; Externally peer reviewed.  \nPeer-review model: Single blind  \nPeer-review report’s classification Scientific Quality: Grade C  \nNovelty: Grade C  \nCreativity or Innovation: Grade C  \nScientific Significance: Grade C  \nP-Reviewer: Tiwari A, MD, Consultant, India  \nReceived: June 18, 2025  \nRevised: August 29, 2025  \nAccepted: October 28, 2025  \nPublished online: December 16, 2025  \nProcessing time: 181 Days and 5.7 Hours  \nKhaled M AlQahtani, Abdulkreem A AlNasser, Ali M AlQahtani, Shakir A Bakkari, Ameen MJaddoh, Thamer A Aldarsouny, Toufic G Semaan, Mohamed S Elbayoumy, Ibrahim M Alruzug, Alhumidi A Alenezi, Mohammed S Bin-Ofaysan, Mohammed O Alsager, Hatim S Alshahrani, Sultan M Alhaddad, Hisham N Almuhayzi, Rana A Almousa, Awad J Shehada, Adnan A AlMasri, Manhal KAldaher, Mostafa E Maaly, Ihab M Hafez, Saeed R Alzubide, Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, King Saud Medical City, Riyadh 12746, Saudi Arabia  \nAbdulaziz A AlTurki, Aseel K Aljaili, Abdulkhaleq H Alamri, Ali S Owayed, Yasser W Asiri,  \nDepartment of Internal Medicine, King Saud Medical City, Riyadh 12746, Saudi Arabia Co-first authors: Khaled M AlQahtani and Abdulkreem A AlNasser.  \nCorresponding author: Saeed R Alzubide, Consultant, Head of GI Motility Unit, Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, King Saud Medical City, 7642 Al Imam Abdulaziz Bin Mohammad Bin Saud Street, Riyadh 12746, [Saudi Arabia.](Saudi Arabia. dr.zubide@gmail.com)[ dr.zubide@gmail.com](Saudi Arabia. dr.zubide@gmail.com)  \nAbstract  \nBACKGROUND  \nDysphagia requires prompt evaluation but data regarding referral-to-assessment intervals and its association with outcomes in tertiary care are scarce, especially in Saudi Arabia.  \nAIM  \nTo investigate the assessment and outcome of consecutive dysphagia referrals to a tertiary gastroenterology practice.  \nMETHODS  \nThis retrospective single-center study analyzed 207 consecutive dysphagia referrals to King Saud Medical City (2022-2023) . Data collection included referral timelines, diagnostic investigations, etiologies and outcomes. Statistical Package for the Social Sciences version 28.0, employing χ2 tests and analysis of variance, with P \u003C 0.05 considered statistically significant.  \n WJGE  [https://www.wjgnet.com](https://www.wjgnet.com) 1 December 16, 2025  Volume 17  Issue 12   \nAlQahtani KM et al. Dysphagia referral delays and outcomes  \nRESULTS  \nTotal 168 patients included in this study (mean age 45.7 ± 17.7 years, 50% male), referral delays > 2 weeks occurred in 44% for clinical assessment and 50% for endoscopy. Gastroesophageal reflux disease was most common (45.2%), followed by eosinophilic esophagitis (14.8%) and malignancy (6.5%) . Patients receiving endoscopy within 2 weeks showed an 84.6% improvement, compared to 76.0% with delayed referral (P = 0.012) . All malignant cases were referred within 2 weeks, compared to 52.7% of non-malignant cases (P = 0.013) . However, 67% of the malignant cases worsened, and 33%","cbCaimuSgwLprGho","https://ap.wps.com/l/cbCaimuSgwLprGho","pdf",781357,11,"English","# Abstract\n## Background\n## Aim\n## Methods\n## Results\n## Conclusion\n## Key Words","[{\"question\":\"What was the study aim regarding dysphagia referrals?\",\"answer\":\"To investigate assessment and outcomes of consecutive dysphagia referrals to a tertiary gastroenterology practice.\"},{\"question\":\"How did referral delays affect endoscopy-related outcomes?\",\"answer\":\"Patients receiving endoscopy within 2 weeks had a greater improvement (84.6%) than those with delayed referral (76.0%).\"},{\"question\":\"Which dysphagia etiologies were most common and how did malignancy outcomes compare?\",\"answer\":\"Gastroesophageal reflux disease was most common (45.2%), followed by eosinophilic esophagitis (14.8%) and malignancy (6.5%). Malignant cases were more often referred within 2 weeks, but 67% worsened and 33% died.\"}]","Impact of referral delays on dysphagia outcomes in a Saudi tertiary center | PDF",1790565681,28]