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Looking behind and looking forward in EoE (part 1)

December 16, 2013 7:00 am

Two important articles are provide additional insight into eosinophilic esophagitis (EoE).

In the first (Gastroenterol 2013; 145: 1230-36), the authors performed a retrospective review of the Swiss EoE Database (SEED). This SEED should not be confused with our SEED center (Home- The SEED Center of Atlanta– SouthEast Eosinophilic …).  While the database contains 783 EoE patients, only 200 who were followed by the senior author and had complete data were included.  The enrollment period dates back to 1989.

Demographics: 153 men, mean age 39 years old, 94.5% had dysphagia at time of diagnosis and 35.5% had chest pain.  66% had concomitant allergies.

Terminology: The authors defined strictures as low-grade if a standard 9 mm endoscope could pass but met resistance, intermediate if a 6 mm endoscope could pass, and high-grade if it could not be passed with a 6 mm endoscope.

Results:

• 37.5% (n=75) had strictures (other endoscopic findings noted in Table 2)
• Peak eosinophil count (median): 35 proximally and 28 distally
• Figure 2 showed the evolution of endoscopic features based on diagnostic delay.  With increasing diagnostic delay, there developed a preponderance of a mixed fibrotic/inflammatory picture whereas in those whose symptoms were of much shorter duration, the endoscopic features were often inflammatory without fibrosis.
• For example, if diagnostic delay was between 0-2 years, then fibrotic findings were noted in 46.5%; in contrast, 87.5% had fibrotic features if symptoms had been present for > 20 years.
• Strictures increased from 17.2% in those without significant diagnostic delay to 70.8% in those with symptoms present for > 20 years.
• The authors note that diagnostic delay was greatest in those who developed symptoms in the first decade of life.

Study limitations: The categorization of strictures is straightforward; however, newer tools like the EndoFlip can detect esophageal narrowing more accurately.  Other limitations are related to retrospective nature of study and its reliance on patient’s reported outcomes (subject to recall bias).  Thus, the estimation of diagnostic delay may be inaccurate.

Take home message:

This article reinforces the concept that the presentation of EoE changes with time and that the long-term consequence of untreated EoE is increasing fibrosis and stricturing of the esophagus.

Related blog entries:

• Esophageal distensibility with FLIP and EoE … – gutsandgrowth
• GUIDELINES FOR EOSINOPHILIC ESOPHAGITIS | GUTSANDGROWTH
• EoE –Journal Club (Part 1) | gutsandgrowth
• EoE –Journal Club (Part 2) | gutsandgrowth
• Natural History of EoE –Journal Club (Part 3) | gutsandgrowth
• CHOOSING TOPICAL THERAPY FOR EOE | GUTSANDGROWTH

Posted by gutsandgrowth

Categories: Pediatric Gastroenterology Intestinal Disorder

Tags: EoE, eosinophilic esophatitis, stricture

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