Lack of Association between Epidermal Growth Factor or Its Receptor and Reflux Esophagitis, Barrett’s Esophagus, and Esophageal Adenocarcinoma: A Case-Control Study

Table 1

Demographic data of subpopulations analyzed in individual partial analyses (genetic association study, EGF/EGFR mRNA expressions, and EGF plasma levels).

Analysis	Group 2^a	RE	BE	EAC	value^#	Group 1^b	value^§
Genetic association study
Number ()	106	161	92	48		301
Age (median)	44.5	46.0	56.5	66.0	<0.001	53.0	<0.001
Sex (men, %)	55.7	72.0	81.5	75.0	<0.001	75.4	<0.001
EGF/EGFR mRNA expression
Number ()	—	10	6	7		23
Age (median)	—	47.5	67.5	68.0	0.127	66.0	—
Sex (men, %)	—	90.0	66.7	85.7	0.644	82.6	—
EGF plasma levels
Number ()	8	10	9	10		29
Age (median)	35.0	47.5	63.0	68.0	0.004	64.0	0.003
Sex (men, %)	50.0	90.0	66.7	70.0	0.306	75.9	0.203

BE: Barrett’s esophagus; EAC: esophageal adenocarcinoma; GERD: gastroesophageal reflux disease group; NERD: nonerosive reflux disease group; RE: reflux esophagitis; Group 1: patients with diagnosis RE, BE, or EAC determined by a pathologist; Group 2: patients without macroscopical changes of the esophageal mucosa and with/without NERD (including healthy individuals); ^aincluded 8 healthy individuals; ^bincluded patients with RE, BE, and EAC; ^#Group 2 vs. RE vs. BE vs. EAC comparison; ^§Group 2 vs. Group 1 comparison.