title: Dabigatran-induced esophagitis: The prevalence and endoscopic characteristics.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  There have been some descriptions of dabigatran-induced esophagitis in the literature. The aim of this study was to examine the prevalence and endoscopic characteristics of the disease.
  
  
  METHODS
  We reviewed the endoscopic database and medical records of 91 patients with dabigatran internal use who underwent upper gastrointestinal endoscopy. The frequency of dabigatran-induced esophagitis and its endoscopic findings were retrospectively analyzed. In addition, the clinical characteristics were compared between patients with dabigatran-induced esophagitis and those without the disease.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Dabigatran-induced esophagitis was found in 19 of 91 (20.9%) patients. Of the 19 patients with the esophagitis, 18 (94.7%) showed longitudinally sloughing epithelial casts in the mid and/or lower esophagus, which may be characteristic endoscopic findings of this disease. Symptomatic patients were more frequent in patients with dabigatran-induced esophagitis (68.4%) than those without (37.5%, P = 0.02). Other factors including age, gender, coexistence of hiatal hernia, gastroesophageal reflux disease, or concomitant other medications did not differ between the two groups.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Dabigatran causes the esophageal mucosal injury in approximately 20% of patients. Longitudinally sloughing casts in the distal esophagus are characteristic of dabigatran-induced esophagitis.
authors.affiliation: Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Internal Medicine.
authors.forename: Yosuke
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Toya
authors.affiliation: Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Internal Medicine.
authors.forename: Shotaro
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Nakamura
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Hanamakionsen Hospital affiliated with Iwate Medical University, Hanamaki, Japan.
authors.forename: Kazumitsu
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Tomita
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterology, Yamamotokumiai Hospital, Noshiro, Japan.
authors.forename: Nozomi
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Matsuda
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterology, Iwate Prefectural Miyako Hospital, Miyako.
authors.forename: Keinosuke
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Abe
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterology, Morioka Red Cross Hospital, Morioka, Japan.
authors.forename: Yukito
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Abiko
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterology, Iwate Prefectural Kuji Hospital, Kuji, Japan.
authors.forename: Shunsuke
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Orikasa
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterology, Hachinohe Red Cross Hospital, Hachinohe, Japan.
authors.forename: Risaburo
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Akasaka
authors.affiliation: Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Internal Medicine.
authors.forename: Toshimi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Chiba
authors.affiliation: Division of Molecular Diagnostic Pathology, Department of Pathology, School of Medicine, Iwate Medical University, Morioka.
authors.forename: Noriyuki
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Uesugi
authors.affiliation: Division of Molecular Diagnostic Pathology, Department of Pathology, School of Medicine, Iwate Medical University, Morioka.
authors.forename: Tamotsu
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Sugai
authors.affiliation: Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Internal Medicine.
authors.forename: Takayuki
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Matsumoto
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000991:Antithrombins / Q000009:adverse effects*; D000069604:Dabigatran / Q000009:adverse effects*; D004941:Esophagitis / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000453:epidemiology*; D004945:Esophagoscopy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D012189:Retrospective Studies
chemical_list: D000991:Antithrombins; D000069604:Dabigatran
keywords: dabigatran; endoscopy; esophagitis