OBJECTIVETo compare the difference of mucosal damage in the remnant esophagus with similar postoperative reflux after esophagectomy and gastric interposition between Chinese and Canadian population.

METHODSA prospective 1 to 1 paired study based on the same surgical approach was performed in Medical Centre of University of Montreal and West China Hospital of Sichuan University during the period from September 2010 to October 2013. The patients were followed up and evaluated by reflux symptom scoring, endoscopic assessment of mucosal damage, pathologic examination of biopsies and proliferation index test of esophageal epithelium.

RESULTSEighteen Han Chinese and 18 Caucasian Canadian patients with esophagectomy and gastric interposition were included in this study, with a follow-up period of 45 (28-67) months. There were no significant differences between the two groups in the incidence of postoperative reflux symptom, reflux symptom scoring, histological reflux esophagitis, erosion or stricture of remnant esophagus (all P>0.05). However, the incidence of mucosal metaplasia [44.4% (8/18) versus 11.1% (2/18), P=0.026], quantitative MUSE scoring [1.5 (1.0-2.0) versus 1.0 (0-2.0), P=0.042] and proliferation index [0.40 (0.30-0.45) versus 0.35 (0.30-0.50), P=0.038] of esophageal epithelium were significantly higher in Canadian patients than those in Chinese patients.

CONCLUSIONUnder similar reflux situation, esophageal mucosa of Canadian population is more sensitive to the gastroesophageal reflux damage compared with Chinese population, resulting in more severe reflux damage of remnant esophagus in Canadian patients.