Proton Pump Inhibitors Diminish Barrett’s Esophagus Length: Our Experience

AIM: Our main objectives were to evaluate the influence of two-year proton pump inhibitors (PPI) therapy in patients with Barrett’s oesophagus on its length, in both types, short and long segment. METHODS: In this single-centre, prospective interventional controlled study were analysed data collected prospectively over two years from patients with Barrett’s oesophagus diagnosed by endoscopy. Patients who received continuous proton pump inhibitors (PPI) for 2 years were included. At each patient visit symptoms were recorded, and at each endoscopy, the length of Barrett’s oesophagus (BE) was measured. Biopsies were taken along the length of the oesophagus at intervals of 1 cm. In total, 50 patients with Barrett’s oesophagus were included in the study: 10 of whom had long-segment Barrett’s oesophagus, and 40 patients had short-segment Barrett’s oesophagus. The mean number of endoscopies performed was 3 per patient. RESULTS: The length of Barrett’s esophagus (BE) was influenced by PPI therapy: Circumferential extension in BE patients short-segment Barrett’s esophagus (SSBE) (before treatment was 1.5 cm and after treatment was 0.8 cm Maximum proximal extension in SSBE group before treatment was 2.3 cm (SD ± 1.1 cm), and 1.1 cm (SD ± 0.9 cm), respectively. Squamous islands were detected in 25% of patients examined after 2 years on PPIs. CONCLUSIONS: PPIs achieve a reduction to the length of Barrett’s oesophagus, in both types, and the development of squamous islands is commonly associated with their use.