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Barrett's%20esophagus Signs and Symptoms
Introduction
- Defined as the endoscopic finding in the distal esophagus of proximal-appearing columnar-lined esophagus of at least 1-cm length that is confirmed by histology
- Considered a premalignant metaplastic condition that usually involves the distal esophagus
- It is postulated that exposure of the esophageal epithelium to acid damages the lining resulting in chronic esophagitis and its healing involves metaplastic process
- The incidence of progressing to adenocarcinoma is approximately 0.27-0.59% of Barrett’s esophagus patients per year
- Intestinal metaplasia is not required for diagnosis, though risk of progression to carcinoma is higher in its presence
- Diagnosed by endoscopy and histological examination
Risk Factors
- Chronic gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD)
- White or Hispanic race
- Male
- Advancing age (>50 years, reaching a plateau in the 60’s) - reported as a significant risk factor in various Asian studies
- Hiatal hernia
- Smoking
- Central obesity (intra-abdominal body fat distribution)
- Alcohol (as shown in an Asian study)
