Microscopic appearance of the esophageal mucosa in a consecutive series of patients submitted to upper endoscopy. Correlation with gastroesophageal reflux symptoms and macroscopic findings.

The histologic finding of basal-layer hyperplasia and papillosis as consequences of gastroesophageal reflux still constitute an area of controversy. Consequently, a prospective study of symptoms and endoscopy and biopsy interpretation was undertaken in 200 patients consecutively submitted to upper endoscopy, whereof 12 were excluded. Complete agreement among all three variables was found in half of the patients and harmony between two of the variables in one fourth. In the last fourth the outcome was positive in one variable only, equally distributed among the symptoms, endoscopy, and histology. It is concluded that histology is of considerable value in gastroesophageal reflux disease.