Chronic esophagitis in two sisters.

Two sisters developed symptoms of gastroesophageal reflux and gastric stasis during adolescence. Both developed severe erosive esophagitis and epithelial hyperplasia of the esophagus before 35 years of age. Both had a hiatal hernia, and esophageal motor function was poor in both. One of the sisters had also a peptic stricture of the esophagus, the other one a gastric bezoar. Jejunal motility was normal in both. Among 28 close family members surveyed, seven additional individuals out of three generations had frequent and severe reflux symptoms since adolescence. It is unlikely that the occurrence of chronic esophagitis at such young age in the two sisters is mere coincidence. It is conceivable that the two sisters and their family shared a defect similar to the one that has previously been made responsible for the familial occurrence of hiatal hernias and Barrett's esophagus.