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Background Some patients with a phenotypic appearance of eosinophilic oesophagitis (EoE) respond histologically to PPI, and are described as having PPI-responsive oesophageal eosinophilia ( PPI- REE). It is unclear if PPI- REE is a GERD-related phenomenon, a subtype of EoE, or a completely unique entity. Aim To compare demographic, clinical and histological features of EoE and PPI- REE. Methods Two databases were reviewed from the Walter Reed and Swiss EoE databases. Patients were stratified into two groups, EoE and PPI- REE, based on recent EoE consensus guidelines. Response to PPI was defined as achieving less than 15 eos/hpf and a 50% decrease from baseline following at least a 6-week course of treatment. Results One hundred and three patients were identified (63 EoE and 40 PPI- REE; mean age 40.2 years, 75% male and 89% Caucasian). The two cohorts had similar dysphagia (97% vs. 100%, P = 0.520), food impaction (43% vs. 35%, P = 0.536), and heartburn (33% vs. 32%, P = 1.000) and a similar duration of symptoms (6.0 years vs. 5.8 years, P = 0.850). Endoscopic features were also similar between EoE and PPI- REE; rings (68% vs. 68%, P = 1.000), furrows (70% vs. 70%, P = 1.000), plaques (19% vs. 10%, P = 0.272), strictures (49% vs. 30%, P = 0.066). EoE and PPI- REE were similar in the number of proximal (39 eos/hpf vs. 38 eos/hpf, P = 0.919) and distal eosinophils (50 vs. 43 eos/hpf, P = 0.285). Conclusions EoE and PPI-responsive oesophageal eosinophilia are similar in clinical, histological and endoscopic features and therefore are indistinguishable without a PPI trial. Further studies are needed to determine why a subset of patients with oesophageal eosinophilia respond to PPI. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article deals with the reliability of the eosinophilic oesophagitis histological scoring system (EOE-HSS) to predict treatment status. Eosinophilic oesophagitis is considered as the most common cause of dysphagia and food impaction in young patients and if left untreated, it can lead to fibrostenotic disease and oesophageal strictures. An article on the reliability of EOE-HSS published in previous issue of the journal is applauded for its contribution to the subject.

Eosinophilic esophagitis (EoE) is a chronic inflammatory disorder of the esophagus diagnosed by the presence of esophageal symptoms accompanied by an esophageal eosinophilic infiltrate. EoE has an increasing worldwide prevalence and can be a cause of dysphagia and food impactions. There is an important role for the use of proton pump inhibitors in the diagnostic pathway of EoE. Treatment paradigms for EoE aim to minimize esophageal inflammation and improve symptom control. Dietary therapy targets dietary allergens and encompasses the elemental diet, the allergy testing-directed elimination diet, and the empiric elimination diet. Pharmacologic options include topical corticosteroids as the standard first-line treatment. Multiple other pharmacologic interventions are currently under investigation and are not recommended in the most recent guidelines. Endoscopic dilation is usually reserved for patients who relapse on pharmacologic or dietary regimens or who have symptomatic stricturing disease. This article provides a comprehensive discussion of existing diagnostic and management strategies for EoE. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Eosinophilic esophagitis (EoE) is a chronic and progressive immune-mediated condition defined by symptoms of esophageal dysfunction and dense eosinophilic infiltration of the esophageal mucosa. Therapies consist of anti-eosinophilic medications and specialized diets aimed to decrease the progression of EoE and alleviate its symptoms, namely, dysphagia and food impaction. Assessing response to therapy remains challenging, as treatment end points are not well defined and currently consist of clinical, histologic, and endoscopic features. Newer validated measures may help standardize treatment end points. Emerging data support the use of maintenance therapy, which may reduce disease progression. Optimal dosages, delivery techniques, and duration of treatment need to be determined. When features of fibrostenosis develop, esophageal dilation is a safe and effective adjunctive strategy for improving symptoms. In EoE cases refractory to conventional treatments, newer therapies targeting inflammatory mediators and cytokines are on the horizon. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background/Aims: Proton pump inhibitor-responsive esophageal eosinophilia (PPI-REE) is a newly recognized form of eosinophilic esophagitis (EoE) that responds to PPI therapy. It remains unclear whether PPI-REE represents a subphenotype of gastroesophageal reflux disease, a subphenotype of EoE, or its own distinct entity. The aim was to evaluate the clinicopathologic features of PPI-REE. Methods: Six patients were diagnosed with PPI-REE based on symptoms, endoscopic abnormalities, esophageal eosinophilia with ≥15 eosinophils/high-power field, and a response to PPI treatment. Symptoms and endoscopic and pathological findings were evaluated. Results: The median follow-up duration was 12 months. Presenting symptoms included dysphagia, heartburn, chest pain, foreign body sensation, acid reflux, and sore throat. All patients had typical endoscopic findings of EoE such as esophageal rings, linear furrows, nodularity, and whitish plaques. Three patients had a concomitant allergic disorder, and one had reflux esophagitis. Four patients exhibited elevated serum IgE, and five had positive skin prick tests. All patients experienced symptomatic resolution within 4 weeks and histologic resolution within 8 weeks after starting PPI therapy. There was no symptomatic recurrence. Conclusions: PPI therapy induced rapid resolution of symptoms and eosinophil counts in patients with PPI-REE. Large-scale studies with long-term follow-up are warranted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Limited data describe the long-term efficacy of dietary elimination in eosinophilic oesophagitis (EoE). Aim To assess the long-term outcomes of food elimination diets for treatment of adults with EoE. Methods We conducted a retrospective cohort study at our centre analysing all EoE patients receiving a food elimination diet without concomitant steroids. Baseline data were abstracted using standardised collection forms. Follow-up data from a mean 24.9-month period were collected for patients with a histological response to a food elimination diet during and after food reintroduction. The main outcomes were symptomatic, endoscopic and histological responses. Results Of 52 patients, 18 received a 6-food food elimination diet, 32 received targeted diet, and two received a 6-food food elimination diet with targeted elimination. There were 21 (40%) patients with an initial histological response. Responders reported less dysphagia after treatment (95% baseline vs 11%; P = .001) and at the end of follow-up (95% baseline vs 33%; P = .008). Significant and durable endoscopic improvements were recorded at the same time points: Endoscopic reference score: 3.2 vs 0.7; P = .001; and 3.2 vs 1.7; P = .06. Histological findings improved after the most restrictive diet in responders (49.8 vs 4.1 eosinophils per high-power field; P = .001) and remained suppressed in the 10 initial responders maintaining compliance at the end of follow-up (5.2 eosinophils per high-power field). Conclusions Among EoE patients responding to a food elimination diet and remaining adherent, maintenance dietary therapy produced durable long-term symptomatic, endoscopic and histological disease control. These long-term data confirm that a food elimination diet is an effective maintenance treatment option in select adults with EoE. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The authors reflect on the study regarding the expansion of a narrow insight on narrow calibre oesophagus in patients with eosinophilic oesophagitis (EoE). They note complete dysphagia resolution and dietary habit normalisations as goals of EoE treatment. They point out the extension of EoE resolution beyond eosinophilic inflammation mucosal healing.

Background and Objective. Despite the extensive reporting of eosinophilic esophagitis (EoE) from industrialized developed countries, reports from developing countries are rare. The aim of our study was to determine the epidemiological, clinical, and endoscopic features of EoE and response to therapy in children and adults from a developing country, Saudi Arabia. Methods. We identified patients diagnosed with EoE in our center from 2004 to 2011. EoE was defined as esophageal mucosal infiltration with a peak eosinophil count =15 eosinophils/high-powered field. Results. Forty-five patients were diagnosed with EoE (37 children and 8 adults; 36 males; median age 10.5 years, range from 1-37 years). Feeding difficulty, vomiting/regurgitation, and failure to thrive predominated in young children, whereas dysphagia and food impactions predominated in older children and adults. Allergy testing revealed food sensitization in 12 of 15 patients (80%); 3 responded to elemental formula, while 8 failed to respond to dietary manipulation after the allergy testing. Thirty-nine patients achieved remission by swallowed inhaled fluticasone. The majority of patients experienced a recurrence of symptoms upon the discontinuation of fluticasone. Conclusion. Our data indicate that EoE is increasingly recognized in Saudi Arabia and show many similarities to data from North America and Europe. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents a case of a 38-year-old male with recurrent food bolus obstruction while eating chicken and potatoes. An oesophageal biopsy revealed eosinophilic oesophagitis (EoE) closely linked to atopy. The patient was treated with topical steroids and exclusion diet. The article suggests that EoE should be considered in all patients with symptoms compatible to recurrent food bolus obstruction. It also discusses the management EoE using proton pump inhibitors (PPI) and corticosteroids.

Background & Aims: We evaluated the effect of aerosolized fluticasone therapy on symptomatic dysphagia and histologic eosinophilia in adults with eosinophilic esophagitis (EoE). Methods: We performed a double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled trial of fluticasone in 42 adult patients with a new diagnosis of EoE (30 men; mean age, 37.5 y). Participants were assigned randomly to groups that swallowed 880 μg of aerosolized fluticasone twice daily (n = 21), or took a placebo inhaler twice daily (n = 15) for 6 weeks. End points of the study were symptomatic and histologic response. Results: A complete histologic response (>90% decrease in mean eosinophil count) was observed in 11 of 15 subjects who received 6 weeks of fluticasone (62%), compared with none of the 15 subjects who received placebo (P < .001), based on intention-to-treat analysis; histologic responses were observed in 68% of subjects who received fluticasone (13 of 19) compared with none of those who received placebo (0 of 15) by per-protocol analysis (P < .001). Intracellular staining for eosinophil-derived neurotoxin was reduced in 81% of subjects who received fluticasone (13 of 16) compared with 8% who received placebo (1 of 13) (P < .001). Dysphagia was reduced in 57% of subjects who received fluticasone (12 of 21) compared with 33% who received placebo (7 of 21) (P = .22) by intention-to-treat analysis; dysphagia was reduced in 63% of patients who received fluticasone (12 of 19) and 47% of those who received placebo (7 of 15) (P = .49) based on per-protocol analysis. Esophageal candidiasis developed in 26% of subjects who received fluticasone (5 of 19), but in none of the subjects in the placebo group (P = .05). Conclusions: Aerosolized, swallowed fluticasone leads to a histologic but not a symptomatic response in adults with EoE. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background & Aims: Adults with eosinophilic esophagitis (EoE) typically present with dysphagia and food impaction. A 6-food elimination diet (SFED) is effective in children with EoE. We assessed the effects of the SFED followed by food reintroduction on the histologic response, symptoms, and quality of life in adults with EoE. Methods: At the start of the study, 50 adults with EoE underwent esophagogastroduodenoscopies (EGDs), biopsies, and skin-prick tests for food and aeroallergens. After 6 weeks of SFED, patients underwent repeat EGD and biopsies. Histologic responders, defined by ≤5 eosinophils/high-power field (eos/hpf) (n = 32), underwent systematic reintroduction of foods followed by EGD and biopsies (n = 20). Symptom and quality of life scores were determined before and after SFED. Results: Common symptoms of EoE included dysphagia (96%), food impaction (74%), and heartburn (94%). The mean peak eosinophil counts in the proximal esophagus were 34 eos/hpf and 8 eos/hpf, before and after the SFED, and 44 eos/hpf and 13 eos/hpf in the distal esophagus, respectively (P < .0001). After the SFED, 64% of patients had peak counts ≤5 eos/hpf and 70% had peak counts of ≤10 eos/hpf. Symptom scores decreased in 94% (P < .0001). After food reintroduction, esophageal eosinophil counts returned to pretreatment values (P < .0001). Based on reintroduction, the foods most frequently associated with EoE were wheat (60% of cases) and milk (50% of cases). Skin-prick testing predicted only 13% of foods associated with EoE. Conclusions: An elimination diet significantly improves symptoms and reduces endoscopic and histopathologic features of EoE in adults. Food reintroduction re-initiated features of EoE in patients, indicating a role for food allergens in its pathogenesis. Foods that activated EoE were identified by systematic reintroduction analysis but not by skin-prick tests. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]