Gastroenterologie
a hepatologie

Eosinophilic esophagitis in pediatric patients – current findings and experience from clinical practice

Marek Vebr¹, Jan Forejt¹, Josef Sýkora¹, Jan Schwarz¹

+ Affiliation
¹ Dětská klinika LF UK a FN Plzeň

Summary

Eosinophilic esophagitis (EoE) is a chronic, progressive, and immune-mediated disease of the esophagus characterized by a marked infiltration of eosinophils in the mucosa (≥ 15 eosinophils per high-power field in at least one biopsy sample) in the absence of other causes of esophageal eosinophilia. Specific risk factors for the development of the disease are not known; however, male sex, atopy, and a positive family history significantly increase the risk of its occurrence. A personal history often reveals concomitant asthma, allergic rhinitis, atopic dermatitis, or food allergy. The condition may also be drug-induced (e. g., due to oral immunotherapy). Clinical presentation is age-dependent. In infants and young children, symptoms are usually nonspecific – feeding difficulties, vomiting, and failure to thrive. In older children and adolescents, dysphagia, odynophagia, regurgitation, or food impaction in the esophagus are more common. Diagnosis of EoE is based on a combination of clinical presentation, endoscopic findings, and histological examination of biopsy samples. The key diagnostic criterion is demonstration of eosinophilic infiltration of the esophageal mucosa in at least one biopsy specimen. Treatment includes the use of proton pump inhibitors, topical corticosteroids, or implementation of an elimination diet. The aim of this article is to present the issue of this disease in childhood and to publish the experience from our department.

Keywords

eosinophilic esophagitis, pediatric, dysphagia

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