Inlet patch: heterotopic gastric mucosa--another contributor to supraesophageal symptoms?

Objective: To determine prospectively the incidence of an inlet patch (IP) in children requiring esophagogastroduodenoscopy (EGD) and assess the prevalence of presenting symptoms between children with and without an IP.

Study Design: All patients undergoing EGD in a 2-year period were assessed for the presence of an IP with biopsy confirmation. IP, distal esophagus, and stomach biopsy specimens were blindly reviewed by a pathologist for the presence and degree of inflammation and intestinal metaplasia. Symptoms from children with and without an IP were compared.

Results: From 407 EGDs done by a single endoscopist, 24 patients had confirmed IP (incidence of 5.9%). The presence and degree of inflammation were always relatively greater in the columnar mucosa of the IP than in the antral/body gastric mucosa in the same patient (P = .0027) Inflammation was similar in the squamous epithelium around the IP and in the distal esophagus (P=.46). Two patients had intestinal metaplasia of the IP. The patients with IPs had a higher prevalence of respiratory symptoms than the control group (P = .03).

Conclusions: Children with IPs may have a higher frequency of respiratory symptoms. Periodic surveillance should be performed in children with intestinal metaplasia of an IP.