A study to determine plasma antioxidant concentrations in patients with Barrett's oesophagus.

BACKGROUND Dietary questionnaire studies have suggested that patients with oesophageal adenocarcinoma are deficient in antioxidants. It is not known whether the same holds true for patients with the precursor lesion, Barrett's oesophagus. AIMS To evaluate the hypothesis that patients with Barrett's oesophagus are deficient in antioxidants compared with patients without evidence of Barrett's oesophagus. PATIENTS AND METHODS Plasma antioxidant profiles (copper, selenium, zinc; vitamins A, C, and E; carotenoids) were determined for patients with Barrett's oesophagus (n = 36), patients with erosive oesophagitis (n = 32), and patient controls (n = 35). RESULTS Patients with Barrett's oesophagus had significantly lower plasma concentrations of selenium, vitamin C, beta cryptoxanthine, and xanthophyll compared with the other groups. CONCLUSIONS This study confirms the hypothesis that patients with Barrett's oesophagus are deficient in certain antioxidants.