Detection of Barrett's esophagus after endoscopic healing of erosive esophagitis

BACKGROUND: The presence of erosive esophagitis (EE) in patients presenting for upper endoscopy may prevent the detection of underlying Barrett's esophagus (BE) in the distal esophagus. AIM: To prospectively determine the proportion of patients detected with BE upon repeat endoscopy after healing of EE. METHODS: Patients with endoscopically confirmed EE without BE were treated with standard doses of acid suppression therapy and a repeat endoscopy was performed to assess the presence of BE. If columnar mucosa was visualized in the distal esophagus, targeted biopsies were obtained and all biopsies were evaluated for the presence of intestinal metaplasia. BE was defined as columnar mucosa in the distal esophagus with intestinal metaplasia on biopsy. RESULTS: A total of 172 patients with reflux symptoms were diagnosed with EE without BE on initial endoscopy. They were treated with standard doses of proton pump inhibitor therapy, and after a mean duration of 11 wk (range 8-16 wk), a repeat endoscopy was performed to confirm healing of EE and to document the presence of BE. On repeat endoscopy, EE was completely healed in 116 patients (67%), and of those, BE was suspected in 32 patients (i.e., columnar-lined distal esophagus) and was confirmed in 16 patients (13.8%). In the 56 patients with persistent EE on repeat endoscopy, columnar mucosa in areas of previously healed esophagitis was visualized in 8 and confirmed in 5 patients (8.9% of nonhealed cases). Overall, 21 (12%) patients were confirmed with BE on repeat endoscopy; all men, mean age 61 yr with a median BE length of 0.5 cm (range 0.5-5 cm, interquartile range 0.5 cm). The majority of these patients (N = 19) had short segment Barrett's esophagus (SSBE) (i.e., length < 3 cm). CONCLUSIONS: In patients with EE undergoing treatment with acid suppressive therapy, BE (mainly SSBE) is detected in approximately 12% of patients on repeat endoscopy. Patients with reflux symptoms undergoing endoscopy for the detection of BE (i.e., screening) should be treated with acid suppressive therapy prior to endoscopy to enhance the yield of BE. Alternatively, if the goal is to document BE and if EE is found at the initial endoscopy, then repeat endoscopy may be considered after acid suppressive therapy.