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CompletedNCT03859557Updated Mar 1, 2019

The Evaluation of Patients With Esophageal and Foregut Disorders With WATS (Wide Area Transepithelial Sample With 3-Dimensional Computer-Assisted Analysis) vs. 4-Quadrant Forceps Biopsy

An observational study in GERD, Barrett Esophagus and Low Grade Esophageal Glandular Dysplasia, sponsored by CDx Diagnostics. Completed at 1 site in United States. Open to participants aged 18 Years and older. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2019-03-01.

Sponsored by CDx Diagnostics · Observational

Study type
Observational
Enrollment
1,032
Ages
18 Years and older
Sex
All
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Study summary

Patients scheduled to undergo routine upper endoscopy for foregut or esophageal symptoms or undergoing surveillance for Barrett's esophagus with no dysplasia or low-grade dysplasia are candidates for participation, but patients with known high-grade dysplasia or adenocarcinoma or with a history of prior endoscopic resection or ablation for these conditions are not candidates for participation.

At endoscopy, all patients will be initially assessed for the presence of an endoscopic suspicious lesion using white light and if appropriate narrow band imaging or similar enhanced imaging techniques. All suspicious lesions undergo targeted biopsy first, and then either 4-Quadrant Random Forceps Biopsy or WATS biopsies of the GEJ and if present the columnar-lined esophagus based on the assigned randomization away from the area of targeted biopsies. A biopsy will be obtained from the antrum in each patient to assess for H. pylori infection and the presence of intestinal metaplasia.

Read the detailed description

Patients scheduled to undergo routine upper endoscopy for foregut or esophageal symptoms will be enrolled. Patients undergoing surveillance for Barrett's esophagus with no dysplasia or low-grade dysplasia are candidates for participation, but patients with known high-grade dysplasia or adenocarcinoma or with a history of prior endoscopic resection or ablation for these conditions are not candidates for participation. Informed consent will be obtained from every patient prior to enrollment.

Patients will be randomized prior to starting the procedure. Each patient will receive a randomization code at the time of randomization. It is important that the randomization code be included in the Case Report Form submitted with each patient, and will represent the unique deidentified code for each patient's data for inclusion in the study database.

At endoscopy, all patients will be initially assessed for the presence of an endoscopic suspicious lesion using white light and if appropriate narrow band imaging or similar enhanced imaging techniques. All suspicious lesions undergo targeted biopsy first, and then either 4-Quadrant Random Forceps Biopsy or WATS biopsies of the GEJ and if present the columnar-lined esophagus based on the assigned randomization away from the area of targeted biopsies. A biopsy will be obtained from the antrum in each patient to assess for H. pylori infection and the presence of intestinal metaplasia.

Targeted forceps biopsies of any endoscopic suspicious area will be placed in a separate pathology bottle from those obtained from 4-Quadrant Random Forceps Biopsy and analyzed separately as well.

All the components needed to perform WATS biopsies are included in a kit with complete written instructions.

WATS specimens will be analyzed by CDx Diagnostics. Investigator will ship the WATS specimens to CDx Diagnostics in accordance with CDx's instructions. Forceps biopsies will be analyzed by institution's pathology department and the pathology department of each additional site participating in the Study per standard protocol.

The Investigator will determine appropriate follow-up of patients with and without IM or dysplasia detected by WATS or FB per standard individual and / or institution protocol.

Investigator and all investigators at the additional sites will supply the study coordinator with de-identified data for each specimen, such de-identified data including patient demographics, endoscopic findings, and results of the FB of GEJ, antrum plus / minus esophagus. Study Data will be maintained on a secure database by the study coordinator during the Term and for six years thereafter.

Biopsies with intestinal metaplasia or dysplasia may be reviewed by a central pathologist to confirm the original pathologic interpretation when there is a discrepancy between WATS and FB that is greater than 10%.

02

Conditions studied

  • GERD
  • Barrett Esophagus
  • Low Grade Esophageal Glandular Dysplasia
  • Esophageal Diseases
03

In context

Barrett Esophagus

310 studies on the registry are indexed under Barrett Esophagus; 64 are open to participants now.

This study's enrollment of 1,032 is above the median of 127 across 115 observational studies indexed under Barrett Esophagus.

Browse Barrett Esophagus studies →

Lead sponsor

CDx Diagnostics is the lead sponsor of 6 studies on the registry; 1 is open to participants now.

Counted across the registry records on this site, refreshed daily.

04

Who can participate

Ages eligible
18 Years and older
Sexes eligible
All
Accepts healthy volunteers
No
Sampling method
Probability sample

Study population

Eligible patients are those who undergo routine upper endoscopy while under sedation to evaluate foregut or esophageal symptoms.

Inclusion criteria

  • Both males and females at least 18 years of age undergoing routine upper endoscopy to evaluate symptoms of esophageal or foregut disorders (reflux disease, BE, esophageal strictures, swallowing disorders, dyspepsia, hiatal hernias, motility issues, gastric issues).
  • Institutional Review Board (IRB)-approved consent must be signed by patients prior to participating in this study.

Exclusion criteria

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Patients who do not undergo either FB or WATS biopsy
  • Patients with inadequate WATS or FB specimens
  • Known history of high-grade dysplasia or adenocarcinoma
  • Prior history of endoscopic resection or ablation for Barrett's with high-grade dysplasia or adenocarcinoma
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Study design

Enrollment
1,032 participants (actual)
Patient registry
No

Groups and cohorts

  • 4-Quadrant Random Forceps Biopsy

    Random sampling within a quadrant of esophageal tissue using forceps.

  • WATS biopsies

    Wide area transepithelial sampling with computer aided pathologic interpretation of tissue.

06

What researchers measure

Primary outcomes

  1. Yield of WATS biopsies compared to Forceps biopsies

    Intestinal metaplasia is a premalignant change in the normal epithelium lining the esophagus and gastroesophageal junction. It is evaluated on tissue samples from these areas by a pathologist under a microscope, who then determines if intestinal metaplasia is present or not. All specimens retrieved by upper endoscopy, whether by standard biopsy or by WATS, will be examined by a pathologist. The pathology reports will be reviewed and the frequency that intestinal metaplasia is found by standard biopsy vs WATS will be statistically compared.

    Time frame: 12 months

07

Study locations

1 site
  • Providence Portland Medical Center
    Portland, Oregon 97213, United States
08

References and documents

Publications

  • DeMeester S, Smith C, Severson P, Loveitt A, Jobe B, Woodworth P, Wilcox D, Dunst C; Hawaii Esophageal Course Study Group. Multicenter randomized controlled trial comparing forceps biopsy sampling with wide-area transepithelial sampling brush for detecting intestinal metaplasia and dysplasia during routine upper endoscopy. Gastrointest Endosc. 2022 Jun;95(6):1101-1110.e2. doi: 10.1016/j.gie.2021.11.044. Epub 2021 Dec 10. PubMed 34902373 ↗
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Updates

Tracking since Sep 25, 2026
No changes since tracking began. The registry record was last updated on Mar 1, 2019, before this site started recording changes on Sep 25, 2026. Its history is on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗
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Registry details

Key details

Study ID
NCT03859557
Lead sponsor
CDx Diagnostics
Collaborators
Foundation for Surgical Innovation and Education
Responsible party
Steven DeMeester (MD, President and Executive Director The Foundation for Research and Education in Esophageal and Foregut Disease, The Oregon Clinic) — Principal investigator
First posted
Mar 1, 2019
Start date
Oct 1, 2017
Primary completion
Dec 31, 2018
Completion
Dec 31, 2018
Last update
Mar 1, 2019

Oversight

FDA-regulated drug
No
FDA-regulated device
No
View the source record on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

Not currently enrolling

This study is completed, as verified in Feb 2019. You cannot join it, but the record below documents what was studied.

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