Alcohol consumption is associated with an increased risk of erosive esophagitis and Barrett's epithelium in Japanese men
2008

Alcohol Consumption and Esophageal Health in Japanese Men

Sample size: 463 publication Evidence: moderate

Author Information

Author(s): Akiyama Tomoyuki, Inamori Masahiko, Iida Hiroshi, Mawatari Hironori, Endo Hiroki, Hosono Kunihiro, Yoneda Kyoko, Fujita Koji, Yoneda Masato, Takahashi Hirokazu, Goto Ayumu, Abe Yasunobu, Kobayashi Noritoshi, Kubota Kensuke, Saito Satoru, Nakajima Atsushi

Primary Institution: Yokohama City University School of Medicine

Hypothesis

Is alcohol consumption associated with an increased risk of erosive esophagitis and Barrett's epithelium in Japanese men?

Conclusion

Alcohol consumption in Japanese men tends to be associated with an increased risk of erosive esophagitis and Barrett's epithelium.

Supporting Evidence

  • 21.0% of the study population had erosive esophagitis.
  • The prevalence of erosive esophagitis increased from 3% in the 1970s to 21.0% in 2006.
  • Heavy drinkers had an odds ratio of 1.988 for erosive esophagitis compared to never drinkers.

Takeaway

Drinking alcohol can make your throat hurt and change the way it looks, especially in Japanese men.

Methodology

The study analyzed 463 men who underwent upper endoscopy, categorizing them based on their alcohol consumption levels and assessing the presence of erosive esophagitis and Barrett's epithelium.

Potential Biases

Potential bias due to self-reported data and exclusion of women.

Limitations

Self-reported alcohol consumption may lead to misclassification, and the study only included men, limiting generalizability.

Participant Demographics

463 male subjects, median age 67 years, age range 31-91 years.

Statistical Information

P-Value

p = 0.0190 for heavy drinkers and Barrett's epithelium

Confidence Interval

95% CI: 1.120 – 3.534 for heavy drinkers and erosive esophagitis

Statistical Significance

p<0.05

Digital Object Identifier (DOI)

10.1186/1471-230X-8-58

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