Does body mass index differ between patients with Barrett's oesophagus and patients with chronic gastro-oesophageal reflux disease?

Background Obesity has been demonstrated to be a risk factor for the development of gastro-oesophageal reflux disease (GERD). Aim To perform a prospective cohort study to determine whether there was a difference in body mass index (BMI) between patients with GERD and patients with Barrett's oesophagus (BE). Methods We prospectively enrolled patients undergoing endoscopic evaluation for GERD and collected information regarding BMI, tobacco and/or alcohol use, and family history of GERD. Patients with non-erosive reflux disease underwent confirmatory 24-h pH testing. Results Seven hundred and fifty one patients with GERD (mean +/- s.d. age of 55.4 +/- 14.2 years, 74% male) entered the study, and BE was present in 165 (22%, 90% male, 79% Caucasian) patients. The mean GERD symptom duration was 10.3 +/- 0.4 years (range 1-62 years) with a mean body mass index of 27.8 +/- 0.2 kg/m(2) (range 15-55) Compared with patients having GERD alone, patients with BE were more likely to be older (P = 0.001), male (P < 0.001), current or prior tobacco users (P = 0.002), and with greater duration of GERD symptoms (P < 0.001). There was no significant difference in the BMI for patients with and without BE. Conclusions While obesity is a risk factor for both GERD and BMI, patients with BE did not demonstrate increased BMI compared with patients having chronic GERD.