Inflammatory infiltration of metaplastic epithelium and correlation to previous diagnosis of esophagitis and Barrett's length.
OBJECTIVE
The contact of the gastric refluxate with the lower esophagus results in an inflammatory-mediated tissue damage. The role of inflammation both in the development and in the advance of Barrett's esophagus (BE) has not been elucidated. The aim of this study was to assess the inflammatory infiltration in metaplastic Barrett's epithelium and to explore the association of microscopic inflammation to healed esophagitis and Barrett's length.


METHODS
Inflammatory infiltration was qualitatively evaluated in well-characterized Barrett's specimens. Esophagitis was healed prior to histological sampling. Univariate comparative analysis was performed based on BE length.


RESULTS
Ninety-eight patients (78 male, mean age 58.3 ± 13.3 yrs) were retrospectively studied. Thirty-three cases with long segment BE (LSBE) (33.7%) were spotted. Inflammatory infiltration was mild, moderate, and severe in 35 (35.7%), 54 (55.1%), and 9 (9.1%) specimens, respectively. The samples with moderate/severe inflammatory infiltration were obtained from patients who had more frequently been diagnosed with esophagitis (p = 0.025). Hiatal hernia (p = 0.001), esophagitis (p = 0.019), and previous use of anti-secretory drugs (p = 0.005) were more common in LSBE.


CONCLUSIONS
Inflammatory infiltration of Barrett's epithelium was largely moderate despite preceding healing of erosions with PPIs. Previous diagnosis of esophagitis correlated to the degree of inflammation. No association of inflammation to Barrett's length was established.
Gastroenterology Department, Alexandra General Hospital, Athens, Greece. evazamb@yahoo.com
Evanthia
E
Zampeli
George
G
Karamanolis
George
G
Morfopoulos
Elias
E
Xirouchakis
Vasiliki
V
Kalampoki
Giorgos
G
Bamias
Spyros
S
Michopoulos
Sotiria
S
Savva
Vasilios
V
Tzias
Irene
I
Zouboulis-Vafiadis
Dimitrios
D
Kamberoglou
Spiros D
SD
Ladas
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001471:Barrett Esophagus / Q000150:complications / Q000473:pathology*; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D004942:Esophagitis, Peptic / Q000150:complications / Q000473:pathology*; D004947:Esophagus / Q000473:pathology*; D005260:Female; D006551:Hernia, Hiatal / Q000150:complications; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008679:Metaplasia / Q000150:complications / Q000473:pathology; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies