Practice patterns in the management of patients with esophageal strictures and rings.
BACKGROUND
Only few data exist on the epidemiology and management of esophageal strictures and rings.


OBJECTIVE
To study the epidemiology and management of esophageal strictures and rings.


METHODS
Case-control study.


METHODS
Endoscopic data repository of U.S. gastroenterology practices from 1998 to 2003 (Clinical Outcomes Research Initiative).


METHODS
Case subjects included 7287 patients with strictures and 4993 patients with rings. The control group consisted of 124,120 patients without endoscopic evidence of esophageal stenosis.


METHODS
Esophageal dilation.


METHODS
Patient demographics, types and diameters of esophageal dilators, frequency of repeat dilations.


RESULTS
Strictures displayed a male predominance, and rings displayed a small female predominance. Compared with the control population, strictures and rings both occurred most frequently in elderly white patients. Dysphagia and reflux were the most common indications for dilation in both conditions. Compared with strictures, rings were treated more often with larger dilators and rubber bougies. One-year rates of repeat dilation for strictures and rings were 13% and 4%, respectively. The mean interval length between repeat dilations was 82 days for strictures and 184 days for rings.


CONCLUSIONS
Only a limited amount of information about individual patients was retrievable from the electronic database.


CONCLUSIONS
The variations in the demographic characteristics and the treatment practice allude to differences in the underlying pathophysiology of these 2 benign obstructing lesions of the esophagus.
Olson
Jeffrey S
JS
Portland VA Medical Center and Oregon Health and Science University, Portland, Oregon 97239, USA.
Lieberman
David A
DA
Sonnenberg
Amnon
A
D000367:Age Factors; D004106:Dilatation / Q000379:methods*; D016099:Endoscopy, Gastrointestinal / Q000379:methods*; D004940:Esophageal Stenosis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000628:therapy*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010818:Practice Patterns, Physicians'; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D012737:Sex Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology