Association Between Obstructive Sleep Apnea and Barrett's Esophagus: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

BACKGROUND: Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) has gastrointestinal implications as it is associated with gastroesophageal reflux disease. Less certain is an independent association between OSA and Barrett's esophagus. We performed a systematic review and meta-analysis to evaluate the association between OSA and Barrett's esophagus. METHODS: A systematic search of Ovid MEDLINE, Embase, Web of Science, CINAHL, and the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials was performed. Inclusion criteria were observational studies (retrospective and case-control) assessing the association between OSA and Barrett's esophagus in adult subjects. Data from the included studies were extracted and used to calculate the pooled odds ratio of OSA with 95% confidence interval (CI) between patients with Barrett's esophagus and those without, using a random-effects model. RESULTS: Altogether six studies involving 2333 subjects met the inclusion criteria and were included in this meta-analysis. The pooled analysis found a significantly increased risk of OSA, high risk of OSA, and patient-reported OSA symptoms among patients with Barrett's esophagus versus those without Barrett's esophagus, with a pooled odds ratio (OR) of 2.19 (95% CI 1.53-3.15). A subgroup analysis for cases of definite OSA (formally diagnosed via polysomnography) and Barrett's esophagus (n = 2 studies) also demonstrated significant association (OR 2.59, 95% CI 1.39-4.84). CONCLUSION: A significantly increased risk of OSA among patients with Barrett's esophagus was demonstrated in this meta-analysis. Further investigation is warranted to determine the pathophysiology and clinical implications of this association.

Increased Prevalence of Alcohol-Related Gastrointestinal and Liver Diseases During the COVID-19 Pandemic.

BACKGROUND: Higher prevalence of alcohol-related gastrointestinal (GI) and liver diseases (ARGLDs) were anecdotally reported during the COVID-19 pandemic, but little published evidence exists. METHODS: A healthcare system audit of inpatient GI consults was performed during the pandemic's lockdown phase (3/23/2020-5/10/2020, n=558) and reopening phase (6/1/2020-7/19/2020, n=711) with comparison to those timeframes in 2019. RESULTS: Consult volume decreased by 27.7% during the lockdown, but the proportion of ARGLDs increased by 59.6% (p=0.03). This trend continued during reopening, with potentially more severe disease as more patients required endoscopic intervention. Patients with alcoholic hepatitis during reopening were younger compared to the lockdown. CONCLUSIONS: Our study demonstrates increased prevalence and severity of ARGLDs amongst younger individuals during the COVID-19 pandemic. This increase started during the lockdown but worsened despite relaxation of restrictions. Systems to increase screening for and treatment of alcohol use disorder as society recovers from the pandemic remain imperative.

Prevalence and risk factors of steatosis and advanced fibrosis using transient elastography in the United States' adolescent population.

BACKGROUND: Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is the leading cause of chronic liver disease in children and adolescents. AIM: To determine the prevalence and risk factors of steatosis and advanced fibrosis using transient elastography (TE) in the United States' adolescent population. METHODS: Using the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2017-2018, adolescent participants aged 13 to 17 years who underwent TE and controlled attenuation parameter (CAP) were included in this study. Forty-one factors associated with liver steatosis and fibrosis were collected. Univariate and multivariate linear regression analysis were used to identify statistically significant predictors. RESULTS: Seven hundred and forty participants met inclusion criteria. Steatosis (S1-S3), based on CAP, and advanced fibrosis (F3-F4), based on TE, were present in 27% and 2.84% of the study population, respectively. Independent predictors of steatosis grade included log of alanine aminotransferase, insulin resistance, waist-to-height ratio, and body mass index. Independent predictors of fibrosis grade included steatosis grade, non-Hispanic black race, smoking history, and systolic blood pressure. CONCLUSION: This study demonstrated a high prevalence of steatosis in the United States' adolescent population. Almost 3% of United States' adolescents had advanced fibrosis. These findings are concerning because a younger age of onset of NAFLD can lead to an earlier development of severe disease, including steatohepatitis, cirrhosis, and liver decompensation.