Bacterial biota in reflux esophagitis and Barrett’s esophagus

Table 1 Clinical and pathological features of 24 patients included in this study¹

Case#	Age2	Symptoms of heartburn		Esophageal features
		Frequency (time/week)	Duration3	Endoscopic diagnosis	Histopathology4
Normal esophagus (n = 9)
248	73	0	NA	Normal	NP
251	66	0	NA	Normal	NP
256	66	0	NA	Normal	NP
259	75	3	1 Y	Hiatal hernia	NP
261	81	3	>1 Y	Esophageal ring	NP
262	65	0	NA	Esophagitis	NP
263	51	3	1 Y	Gastric erosions	NP
264	72	0	NA	Esophageal ring	NP
265	71	0	NA	Hiatal hernia	NP
Esophagitis (n = 12)
247	63	3	>1 Y	Esophagitis	AI, CI, EO
252	51	0	NA	Normal	AI, CI, EO
254	57	3	1 Y	Esophageal ring	AI, CI, EO
257	52	3	1 M	Esophagitis	AI, CI, EO
249	34	0	NA	Esophagitis	AI, CI
243	53	3	>1 Y	Esophagitis	CI, EO
255	66	3	>1 Y	Esophagitis	CI, EO
258	52	3	2–3 Y	Barrett’s esophagus	CI, EO
244	74	3	2 M	Esophagitis	CI
250	68	0	NA	Esophageal ring	CI
260	75	3	2–3 M	Esophagitis	CI
253	71	5	4 Y	Esophagitis	CI
Barrett’s esophagus (n = 3)
242	69	0	NA	BE	BE
245	70	0	NA	BE	BE
246	66	3	>1 Y	BE	BE, CI, EO

¹None of the 24 patients had a history of recent use of antibiotics, previous gastric/esophageal surgery, active infection of the oral cavity[17].

²All 24 patients are males, reflecting the veterans population.

³NA, not available; Y, year; M, month.

⁴NP: no pathologic changes; BE: Barrett’s esophagus; EO: eosinophils; CI: chronic inflammation; AI: acute inflammation.