Clinical characteristics of Japanese reflux esophagitis patients as determined by Los Angeles classification

Background: Recent studies have shown that the number of patients with reflux esophagitis is increasing in Japan, but the prevalence and risk factors associated with reflux esophagitis in Japanese patients are not well defined. Methods: By using all endoscopic records in the Katta General Hospital from April through to September 1999, we identified 392 patients. We examined the Los Angeles classification, peptic ulcer, gastric mucosal atrophy, hiatal hernia and other medical variable factors for their contribution to esophagitis in the patients. Results: Patients (13.8%) were diagnosed as having reflux esophagitis with a mucosal break. In a multivariate analysis, reflux esophagitis was associated with hiatal hernia (odds ratio (OR) 2.276, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.164–4.450), with patients over 65 years of age (OR 2.521, 95% CI 1.238–5.134) and the open type of gastric mucosal atrophy (OR 0.420, 95% CI 0.225–0.785). There was no significant difference between esophagitis and Helicobacter pylori infection and peptic ulcer. Conclusions: We observed that age, hiatal hernia and a lower rate of gastric mucosal atrophy were associated with the proportion of mucosal breaks accompanying esophagitis.