title: No increase in prevalence of Barrett's oesophagus in a surgical series of obese patients referred for laparoscopic gastric banding.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Obesity is a risk factor for gastroesophageal reflux and oesophageal adenocarcinoma. However, only a few studies have examined obesity and lifestyle risk factors in relation to Barrett's oesophagus. In this prospective study we assessed the presence of oesophagitis and Barrett's oesophagus in obese patients selected for laparoscopic gastric banding.
  
  
  METHODS
  1049 obese patients were referred for laparoscopic gastric banding (233 males; mean age 41.0±10.7 years). oesophagogastroduodenoscopy was performed before surgery to check for upper gastrointestinal tract disorders, especially hiatal hernia, signs of inflammation and/or erosions and/or ulcers of the oesophageal mucosa, and Barrett's epithelium.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Mean body mass index was 45.15±6.46 kg/m(2). Overall 86/1049 (8.2%) patients had endoscopic signs of oesophagitis: 84 grade A, 1 grade B and 1 grade C, according to the Los Angeles classification. Hiatal hernia was detected in 127 patients (12.1%), with a mean size of 2.1±0.7 cm (range 1-4 cm); of these, 38 (29.9%) had oesophagitis (37 grade A and 1 grade B). No patients had any visible length of columnar epithelium.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We could not confirm a high prevalence of Barrett's oesophagus in this series of obese patients.
authors: Gastrointestinal Endoscopy, University San Paolo Hospital, Milan, Italy. enzo.masci@ao-sanpaolo.it
authors: Enzo
authors: E
authors: Masci
authors: Paolo
authors: P
authors: Viaggi
authors: Benedetto
authors: B
authors: Mangiavillano
authors: Salvatore
authors: S
authors: Di Pietro
authors: Giancarlo
authors: G
authors: Micheletto
authors: Franco
authors: F
authors: Di Prisco
authors: Michele
authors: M
authors: Paganelli
authors: Antonio Ettore
authors: AE
authors: Pontiroli
authors: Ettore Antonio
authors: EA
authors: Pontiroli
authors: Marco
authors: M
authors: Laneri
authors: Sabrina
authors: S
authors: Testoni
authors: Pier Alberto
authors: PA
authors: Testoni
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001471:Barrett Esophagus / Q000150:complications* / Q000453:epidemiology; D015992:Body Mass Index; D004941:Esophagitis / Q000150:complications* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D015391:Gastroplasty; D006551:Hernia, Hiatal / Q000150:complications* / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D007558:Italy / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009765:Obesity / Q000150:complications*; D011446:Prospective Studies