Are newly diagnosed columnar-lined oesophagus patients getting younger?
OBJECTIVE
The prevalence of columnar-lined oesophagus seems to have increased steadily in the past three decades in Europe and North America. Although the vast majority of columnar-lined oesophagus will not progress to malignancy, it is nevertheless important to identify the risk factors associated with this condition. This study investigates whether there has been a change, at diagnosis, in age of columnar-lined oesophagus patients between 1990 and 2005, or an increase in the number of patients aged less than 50 years.


METHODS
Data on age of diagnosis were abstracted from medical records of 7220 patients from 19 centres registered with UK National Barrett's Oesophagus Registry, between the years 1990 and 2005. Linear regression analysis was carried out to assess any trends in the mean age of diagnosis.


RESULTS
Overall there was a mean decrease in age at diagnosis for each 1-year increase in time. This equated to a mean decrease of 3 years over the study period, 1990-2005 with the greatest difference being seen in female patients. About 18% of patients in the study were aged less than 50 years at the time of diagnosis. With this group also, the trend was similar, with an increase in the number of patients aged less than 50 years, at the time of diagnosis, with increasing years.


CONCLUSIONS
The mean age of diagnosis of columnar-lined oesophagus has decreased between the years 1990 and 2005 in both men and women, more so in women. This is also reflected in an increase in newly diagnosed columnar-lined oesophagus patients below the age of 50 years.
Wall
Christine M
CM
UK National Barrett's Oesophagus Registry (UKBOR), Division of Surgery and Interventional Science, Royal Free and University College Medical School, University College London, UK.
Charlett
Andre
A
Caygill
Christine Pauline Joan
CP
Gatenby
Piers A C
PA
Ramus
James R
JR
Winslet
Marc C
MC
Watson
Anthony
A
D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D001471:Barrett Esophagus / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D004938:Esophageal Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011230:Precancerous Conditions / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D012042:Registries; D012307:Risk Factors; D017678:Sex Distribution; D006113:United Kingdom / Q000453:epidemiology