Abstract

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, β 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.