Pancreatic acinar metaplasia in the distal oesophagus and the gastric cardia: prevalence, predictors and relation to GORD.

PURPOSE: The nature of pancreatic acinar metaplasia (PAM) in the gastro-oesophageal junction (GOJ) remains obscure. We aimed to estimate its prevalence and investigate into its risk factors in a population-based series of first-time endoscopy patients.
METHODS: We investigated consecutive patients, endoscoped for the first time, representing defined catchment area populations. Biopsies were taken immediately below the GOJ and from the distal oesophagus. Endoscopy room-based cross-sectional clinical data were supplemented with exposure data from 160 population controls. Associations, expressed as odds ratios (OR), were modelled with multivariable logistic regression. A subsample of 26 patients underwent oesophageal pH monitoring.
RESULTS: Among 644 patients (mean age 53 years, 43% men), PAM was found in 121 patients (19%), exclusively above the GOJ in 40 (6%), below GOJ in 67 (10%), and both above and below GOJ in 14 (2%). PAM exclusively above the GOJ and PAM exclusively below the GOJ were both borderline associated with age (2% increase in prevalence per year). PAM exclusively above the GOJ was significantly associated with female gender (OR 2.8, 95% CI 1.3-6.3) and presence of Helicobacter pylori immediately below the GOJ (OR 2.6, 95% CI 1.3-5.4). Out of 21 patients with Barrett's oesophagus (BO), 8 (38%) had PAM above the GOJ. The mean value for percentage time with oesophageal pH < 4.0 was 7.3% (95% CI 4.3-10.2%) among patients who had PAM above the GOJ (reference value 3.4%).
CONCLUSIONS: Pancreatic acinar metaplasia might be an age-dependent lesion, associated with H. pylori, female gender and gastro-oesophageal reflux if located above the GOJ.