BACKGROUND AND AIMS: A recent electron microscopy study suggested that dilated intercellular spaces (DIS) are specific for acid reflux-damaged esophageal epithelium. Electron microscopy is, however, expensive and difficult to apply to routine biopsies. The aims of this study are to establish a method for assessing DIS on light microscopy of esophageal biopsies and to estimate its association with current clinicopathological parameters of @entity2910 . MATERIALS AND METHODS: 21 @entity1 with reflux symptoms were investigated. Light microscopy biopsies were assessed for DIS size by a semiquantitative method and computer-assisted, static morphometry. A DIS score accounting for DIS size and distribution was assigned to each @entity1 and its association with 30 clinicopathological variables investigated by univariate and multivariate logistic regression. RESULTS: Both the semiquantitative method and static morphometry identified 4 different classes of DIS size. The DIS score was significantly and independently associated with the esophageal symptoms score, the histological score of @entity2910 and the relevant morphometry data. CONCLUSIONS: DIS may be efficiently assessed during light microscopy of routine esophageal biopsies. Since correlation with both the histology and the symptoms of @entity2910 , the DIS score may be considered a novel parameter of @entity2910 and is suggested for the routine evaluation of esophageal biopsies in @entity1 with @entity354 .

Dilated intercellular spaces as markers of XXXX : histology, semiquantitative score and morphometry upon light microscopy.

@entity1 :: ('9606', 'Species') :: ['patients', 'patient'] @entity2910 :: ('MESH:D004941', 'Disease') :: ['esophagitis'] @entity354 :: ('MESH:D005764', 'Disease') :: ['reflux disease']
@entity354 :: (MESH:D005764,Disease) :: ['reflux disease']
