Candida esophagitis: Risk factors in non-HIV population in Pakistan

Table 1 Details of patients presenting with candida esophagitis and controls

	Cases	Control
	n = 51	n = 102
Sex
Male	27 (53)	58 (57)
Female	24 (47)	44 (43)
Age in years (yrs)
Range:	21-77	19-74
Mean ± SD	52.9 ± 14.6	50.08 ± 12.64
No: % of In-patients	34 (64)	58 (54)
Risk factors for candida esophagitis
Steroid therapy	15 (29.4%)	6 (5.8%)
Diabetes mellitus type 1 and 2	14 (27.4%)	5 (4.9%)
Carcinoma	10 (19.6%)	3 (2.9%)
(e.g. breast, gastric, esophagus)
Broad spectrum antibiotics	8 (15.6%)	4 (3.9%)
Chronic liver disease	2 (3.9%)	6 (5.8%)
Tuberculosis	2 (3.9%)	1 (0.9%)
Ischemic heart disease	-	26 (25.4%)
Peptic ulcer disease	-	26 (25.4%)
Hypertension	-	20 (19.6%)
Chronic anemia	-	2 (1.9%)
Arthritis	-	1 (0.9%)
Primary Infertility	-	1 (0.9%)
Osteoporosis	-	1 (0.9%)
Clinical symptoms
Retrosternal discomfort	20 (39.3%)	31 (30.3%)
Dysphagia	13 (25.4%)	20 (19.7%)
Epigastric symptoms	18 (35.3%)	51 (50%)
Endoscopic grading
Grade 1	9
Grade 2	19
Grade 3	10
Grade 4	13
Treatment
Nystatin	84.3% (43/51)
Fluconazole	15.7% (8/51)

Results were expressed as number and percentage, mean ± standard deviation (SD).

Table 2 Results of univariate analysis of potential risk factors for acquisition of candida esophagitis

Variable	No. of cases (%)	No. of control (%)	Odd ratio (95%CI)	P value
Carcinoma	10 (19.6%)	3 (2.9%)	8.05 (1.91-47.1)	0.001
Diabetes mellitus	14 (27.4%)	5 (4.9%)	7.34 (2.26-27.5)	0.001
Prior use of steroid	15 (29.4%)	6 (5.8%)	6.67 (2.20-22.3)	0.001
Prior use of antibiotics	8 (15.6%)	4 (3.9%)	4.55 (1.14-21.5)	0.02

Table 3 Distribution of low lymphocyte counts in patients presenting with candida esophagitis

Association	Cases (n = 17)
Steroids	6
Antibiotics	6
Malignancy	3
Diabetes mellitus	1
Chronic liver disease	1