Sex and race and/or ethnicity differences in patients undergoing radiofrequency ablation for Barrett's esophagus: results from the U.S. RFA Registry.

BACKGROUND: Little is known about differences in Barrett's esophagus (BE) characteristics by sex and race and/or ethnicity or these differences in response to radiofrequency ablation (RFA). OBJECTIVE: We compared disease-specific characteristics, treatment efficacy, and safety outcomes by sex and race and/or ethnicity in patients treated with RFA for BE. DESIGN: The U.S. RFA patient registry is a multicenter collaboration reporting processes and outcomes of care for patients treated with RFA for BE. PATIENTS: Patients enrolled with BE. INTERVENTIONS: RFA. MAIN OUTCOME MEASUREMENTS: We assessed safety (stricture, bleeding, perforation, hospitalization), efficacy (complete eradication of intestinal metaplasia [CEIM]), complete eradication of dysplasia, and number of treatments to CEIM by sex and race and/or ethnicity. RESULTS: Among 5521 patients (4052 men; 5126 white, 137 Hispanic, 82 African American, 40 Asian, 136 heritage not identified), women were younger (60.0 vs 62.1 years) and had shorter BE segments (3.2 vs 4.4 cm) and less dysplasia (37% vs 57%) than did men. Women were almost twice as likely to stricture (odds ratio 1.7; 95% confidence interval, 1.2-2.3). Although white patients were predominantly male, about half of African Americans and Asians with BE were female. African Americans and Asians had less dysplasia than white patients. Asians and African Americans had more strictures than did white patients. There were no sex or race differences in efficacy. LIMITATIONS: Observational study with non-mandated paradigms, no central laboratory for reinterpretation of pathology. CONCLUSION: In the U.S. RFA patient registry, women had shorter BE segments and less-aggressive histology. The usual tendency toward BE in men was absent in African Americans and Asians. Posttreatment stricture was more common among women and Asians. RFA efficacy did not differ by sex or race.

Durability and predictors of successful radiofrequency ablation for Barrett's esophagus.

BACKGROUND & AIMS: After radiofrequency ablation (RFA), patients may experience recurrence of Barrett's esophagus (BE) after complete eradication of intestinal metaplasia (CEIM). Rates and predictors of recurrence after successful eradication have been poorly described. METHODS: We used the US RFA Registry, a nationwide registry of BE patients receiving RFA, to determine rates and factors that predicted recurrence of intestinal metaplasia (IM). We assessed recurrence by Kaplan-Meier analysis for the overall cohort and by worst pretreatment histology. Characteristics associated with recurrence were included in a logistic regression model to identify independent predictors. RESULTS: Among 5521 patients, 3728 had biopsies 12 months or more after initiation of RFA. Of these, 3169 (85%) achieved CEIM, and 1634 (30%) met inclusion criteria. The average follow-up period was 2.4 years after CEIM. IM recurred in 334 (20%) and was nondysplastic or indefinite for dysplasia in 86% (287 of 334); the average length of recurrent BE was 0.6 cm. In Kaplan-Meier analysis, more advanced pretreatment histology was associated with an increased yearly recurrence rate. Compared with patients without recurrence, patients with recurrence were more likely, based on bivariate analysis, to be older, have longer BE segments, be non-Caucasian, have dysplastic BE before treatment, and require more treatment sessions. In multivariate analysis, the likelihood for recurrence was associated with increasing age and BE length, and non-Caucasian race. CONCLUSIONS: BE recurred in 20% of patients followed up for an average of 2.4 years after CEIM. Most recurrences were short segments and were nondysplastic or indefinite for dysplasia. Older age, non-Caucasian race, and increasing length of BE length were all risk factors. These risk factors should be considered when planning post-RFA surveillance intervals.

Prior fundoplication does not improve safety or efficacy outcomes of radiofrequency ablation: results from the U.S. RFA Registry.

BACKGROUND: Ongoing gastroesophageal reflux may impair healing and re-epithelialization after radiofrequency ablation (RFA) of Barrett's esophagus (BE). Because prior fundoplication may improve reflux control, our aim was to assess the relationship between prior fundoplication and the safety/efficacy of RFA. METHODS: We assessed the U.S. RFA Registry, a nationwide registry of BE patients receiving RFA at 148 institutions, to compare the safety and efficacy of ablation between those with prior fundoplication and those with medical management (proton pump inhibition). RESULTS: Among 5,537 patients receiving RFA, 301 (5.4 %) had prior fundoplication. Of fundoplication subjects, 1.0 % developed stricture and 1.0 % were hospitalized after RFA. Rates of stricture, bleeding, and hospitalization were not statistically different (p = ns) between patients with and without prior fundoplication. Complete eradication of intestinal metaplasia and complete eradication of dysplasia were achieved in 71 % and 87 % of fundoplication patients, and 73 % and 87 % of patients without fundoplication, respectively (p = ns for both). Patients with prior fundoplication needed similar numbers of RFA sessions for eradication compared with those without fundoplication. CONCLUSIONS: Radiofrequency ablation, with or without prior fundoplication, is safe and effective in eradicating BE. Prior fundoplication was associated with similar adverse event and efficacy rates when compared with medical management.