AN AUTOPSY STUDY OF GASTROOESOPHAGEAL REFLUX DISEASE AT THE LAGOS UNIVERSITY TEACHING HOSPITAL- A CROSS SECTIONAL STUDY

Abstract

Rationale
Gastro-oesophageal reflux disease (GORD) is probably rare in Nigeria but there is paucity of
data regarding its true prevalence. Recent population based studies have shown that the incidence
is high; and with this may come the risk of progression to Barretts oesophagus and the potential
of progressing to oesophageal adenocarcinoma. However, there is need to document the range of

histopathological changes among Nigerian cases of the disease and determine the true prevalence
using these histopathologic changes.
Objectives
The objective of this cross-sectional prospective autopsy study was to determine the prevalence
of gastro oesophageal reflux disease in autopsy cases in LUTH, Lagos, Nigeria. Representative
gastric samples were also taken for examination.
Materials and Methods
A combination of histopathological analysis of paraffin-embedded tissues stained with
hematoxyllin and eosin as well as special stains such as PAS, Alcian blue and Giemsa were used
on the gastro oesophageal samples from 100 autopsy cases. Data was analysed using the
frequency distribution.
Results
The autopsy prevalence of GORD in this study was 13%. The common histopathological
changes seen in GORD in decreasing order were basal cell hyperplasia, lamina propria papillary
elongation and intra epithelial eosinophil infiltration. There was no evidence of Barretts
oesophagus, epithelial dysplasia or adenocarcinoma in any of the 100 cases studied.
The autopsy prevalence rate of GORD is low while non-erosive reflux oesophagitis (NERD) is
more common. Larger cohorts are needed in a community survey to establish the true prevalence
of GORD among Nigerians.