Prevalence of Barrett’s Esophagus in Asian Countries: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis

Background & Aims The prevalence and risk factors of Barrett’s esophagus (BE) in Asian countries are unclear. Studies report a wide range of BE prevalence in Asian countries. We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis to examine the prevalence of BE and its temporal changes and risk factors in Asian countries. Methods Two investigators performed independent literature searches by using PubMed and EMBASE databases, and subsequent data abstraction for studies had to meet several set inclusion and exclusion criteria. Pooled BE prevalence was calculated by using a random-effect model. Estimates of relative risk for possible risk or protective factors were also calculated. Results A total of 51 studies (N = 453,147), mainly from Eastern Asia, were included. The pooled prevalence of endoscopic BE was 7.8% (95% confidence interval, 5.0–12.1; 23 studies) and of histologically confirmed BE was 1.3% (95% confidence interval, 0.7–2.2; 28 studies). Most of histologic BE (82.1%) was short-segment BE (