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Esophageal adenocarcinoma (EAC) is rapidly increasing in incidence in Western cultures. Barrett’s esophagus (BE) is the presumed precursor lesion for this cancer. Several other risk factors for this cancer have been described, including chronic heartburn, tobacco use, Caucasian race, and obesity. Despite these known associations, most patients with EAC present with symptoms of dysphagia from late-stage tumors—only a small minority of patients are identified in screening and surveillance programs. Diagnostic analysis of EAC usually commences with upper endoscopy, followed by cross-sectional imaging. Endoscopic ultrasound is useful to assess local extent of disease as well as the involvement regional lymph nodes. T1a EAC may be treated endoscopically; some patients with T1b disease might also benefit from endoscopic therapy. Locally advanced disease is generally managed with esophagectomy, often accompanied by neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy or chemotherapy. The prognosis is based on tumor stage: patients with T1a tumors have an excellent prognoses, whereas few patients with advanced disease have longterm survival.

Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) is the most prevalent gastrointestinal disorder in the United States, and leads to substantial morbidity, though associated mortality is rare. The prevalence of GERD symptoms appeared to increase until 1999. Risk factors for complications of GERD include advanced age, male sex, white race, abdominal obesity, and tobacco use. Most patients with GERD present with heartburn and effortless regurgitation. Coexistent dysphagia is considered an alarm symptom, prompting evaluation. There is substantial overlap between symptoms of GERD and those of eosinophilic esophagitis, functional dyspepsia, and gastroparesis, posing a challenge for patient management.

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OBJECTIVES-Shift work has been associated with gastrointestinal symptoms such as abdominal pain, constipation, and diarrhea. These symptoms overlap with those reported by patients with functional bowel disorders. Because shift work will lead to misalignment between the endogenous circadian timing system and the external 24 h environment, we hypothesized that nurses participating in shift work will have a higher prevalence of functional bowel disorders when compared with nurses participating in day shifts.METHODS-Nurses engaged in patient care were invited to complete Rome III, irritable bowel syndrome-quality of life measure (IBS-QOL) and modified Sleep-50 questionnaires. Respondents were classified as working day, night, or rotating shifts. The prevalence of IBS, functional constipation, functional diarrhea, and individual gastrointestinal symptoms was determined.RESULTS-Data were available for 399 nurses (214 day shift, 110 night shift, and 75 rotating shift workers). Rotating shift nurses had a significantly higher prevalence of IBS compared to day shift nurses (48% vs. 31%, P < 0.01). Multivariable logistic regression correcting for age, gender, and sleep quality proved this association robust. IBS-QOL scores among groups were similar. Prevalence of functional constipation and functional diarrhea was similar between groups. Rotating shift nurses had a significantly higher prevalence of abdominal pain compared to day shift (81% vs. 54%, P < 0.0001) and night shift workers (61%, P = 0.003).CONCLUSIONS-Participation in shift work, especially rotating shift work, is associated with the development of IBS and abdominal pain that is independent of sleep quality. Circadian rhythm disturbances may have a function in the pathogenesis of IBS and abdominal pain.

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