[Prevalence of Barrett's esophagus in non-selected patients submitted to esophagogastroduodenoscopy and associated risk factors].

Objective: To establish the prevalence of the Barrett esophagus (BE) in non-selected patients who underwent upper gastrointestinal endoscopy (UGE) and identified risk factors associated.

Methods: Case-control study on patients who underwent UGE between 2001-2003. Demographic data was gathered as well as the presence of esophagitis, H. pylori, hiatal hernia presence and length, nighttime symptoms, smoking, and alcohol consumption.

Results: The global frequency of EB was 0.26%. Average age in patients with EB was 57.3 +/- 17 years old against 49 +/- 15 years old on the control group (p = 0.16). 69% of the patients with EB were men compared to 56% on the control group (p = 0.41). No difference regarding the presence of hiatal hernia was found between EB (79.6%) and patients without EB (72.5%) (p = 0.75). However, patients with EB presented a longer hiatal hernia (p < 0.05). There was no difference regarding the presence of esophagitis (p = 0.32), H. pylori (p = 0.61), smoking (p = 0.39), alcohol consumption (p = 0.34), nocturnal symptoms (p = 0.53) or extra-esophageal manifestations (p = 0.31). A significant difference existed regarding the presence of heartburn and the length of symptoms: patients with EB stated a history longer than 5 years in comparison with the control group (p < 0.005 and < 0.01 respectively).

Conclusions: The frequency of EB was 0.26% in Mexican non-selected population; the extents of hiatal hernia and history heartburn as well as a longer duration of symptoms were significantly associated to EB.