A study published in the American Journal of Gastroenterology claims Barrett's esophagus is unlikely to recur after treated with endoscopic eradication therapy coupled with effective reflux control.
Srinadh Komanduri, MD, an associate professor at Chicago-based Northwestern University, and a team of researchers enrolled and managed 221 Barrett's patients. They were referred for endoscopic therapy into a standardized reflux managed protocol with twice-daily proton pump inhibitor therapy during eradication.
Here's what they found.
1. Researchers achieved complete eradication of intestinal metaplasia in 93 percent of patients within 11.6±10.2 months.
2. Forty-eight patients failed to achieve complete intestinal metaplasia eradication after three sessions.
3. After those patients received modified reflux management, 45 achieved eradication in 1.1 sessions.
4. Of the entire patient base, recurrence occurred in 13 patients. Hiatal hernia presence was the only predictor of recurrence.
Dr. Komanduri concluded, "The current study highlights the importance of reflux control in patients with Barrett's Esophagus undergoing endoscopic eradication therapy. In this setting, endoscopic eradication therapy has long-term durability with low recurrence rates providing early evidence for extending endoscopic surveillance intervals after endoscopic eradication therapy.