Development of a Practical Guide to Implement and Monitor Diet Therapy for Eosinophilic Esophagitis.

Dietary therapy for short- and long-term management of eosinophilic esophagitis is an effective yet poorly understood and underutilized treatment strategy. Despite several prospective trials demonstrating the efficacy of dietary therapies, successful clinical implementation is hampered by the need for a multidisciplinary approach including dietitian support and provider expertise. The availability of these resources is not readily available to most gastroenterologists. Without standardized guidance on starting or completing the diet for gastrointestinal providers and/or consulting dietitians, provider attitudes toward dietary therapy vary greatly depending on familiarity and knowledge gaps in using diet therapy. This review aims to summarize evidence in support of dietary therapy in eosinophilic esophagitis while providing guidance on initiation and implementation of dietary therapy for providers.

Medical Management of Eosinophilic Esophagitis in Pediatric Patients.

Eosinophilic esophagitis is an immune-mediated allergic disease of the esophagus that affects pediatric patients of all ages. The diagnosis is made by esophagogastroduodenoscopy demonstrating eosinophilic infiltrate of the esophagus. Approaches to treatment involve proton pump inhibitors (PPIs), swallowed topical steroid preparations, as well as dietary elimination. In this review we discuss the evidence and efficacy of each of these approaches.

Dietary Management of Eosinophilic Esophagitis: Tailoring the Approach.

Eosinophilic esophagitis (EoE) is a unique form of non-immunoglobulin E-mediated food allergy, restricted to the esophagus, characterized by esophageal eosinophil-predominant inflammation and dysfunction. The diagnosis requires an esophago-gastroduodenoscopy with esophageal biopsies demonstrating active eosinophilic inflammation with 15 or more eosinophils/high-power field, following the exclusion of alternative causes of eosinophilia. Food allergens trigger the disease, withdairy/milk, wheat/gluten, egg, soy/legumes, and seafood the most common. Therapeutic strategies comprise dietary restrictions, proton pump inhibitors, topical corticosteroids, biologic agents, and esophageal dilation when strictures are present. However, avoidance of trigger foods remains the only option targeting the cause, and not the effect, of the disease. Because EoE relapses when treatment is withdrawn, dietary therapy offers a long-term, drug-free alternative to patients who wish to remain off drugs and still be in remission. There are currently multiple dietary management strategies to choose from, each having its specific efficacy, advantages, and disadvantages that both clinicians and patients should acknowledge. In addition, dietary regimens should be tailored around each individual patient to increase the chance of tolerability and long-term adherence. In general, liquid elemental diets devoid of antigens and elimination diets restricting causative foods are valuable options. Designing diets on the basis of food allergy skin tests results is not reliable and should be avoided. This review summarizes the most recent knowledge regarding the clinical use of dietary measures in EoE. We discussed endpoints, rationale, advantages and disadvantages, and tailoring of diets, as well as currently available dietary regimens for EoE.

A Clinical Perspective on the Dietary Therapies for Pediatric Eosinophilic Esophagitis: The Gap Between Research and Daily Practice.

Pediatric eosinophilic esophagitis (ped-EoE) is an immune-mediated pathology affecting 34 per 100.000 children. It is characterized by an esophageal inflammation caused by an immune response towards food antigens that come into contact with the esophageal lining. Depending on the age of the child, symptoms can vary from abdominal pain, vomiting and failure to thrive to dysphagia and food impaction. The diagnosis of this chronic disease is based on the symptoms of esophageal dysfunction combined with an infiltration of more than 15 eosinophils per high-power field and the exclusion of secondary causes. The treatment modalities include the 3Ds: Drugs, allergen avoidance by Diet and/or esophageal Dilation. In this review we focused on the efficacy of dietary approaches in ped-EoE, which currently include the elemental diet (amino acid-based diet), the empiric elimination diet and the allergy test-directed elimination diet. Although several reviews have summarized these dietary approaches, a lack of consistency between and within the elimination diets hampers its clinical use and differences in subsequent reintroduction phases present a barrier for dietary advice in daily clinical practice. We therefore conducted an analysis driven from a clinician's perspective on these dietary therapies in the management of ped-EoE, whereby we examined whether these variations within dietary approaches, yet considered to be similar, could result in significant differences in dietary counseling.

Esophageal microbiome in active eosinophilic esophagitis and changes induced by different therapies.

Eosinophilic esophagitis (EoE) is a chronic, immune-mediated inflammatory esophageal disease triggered by food antigens. Cumulative evidence supports the implication of microbiota and the innate immune system in the pathogenesis of EoE. Changes in the esophageal microbiome were investigated by applying 16S rRNA gene sequencing on esophageal biopsies of adult patients with active EoE at baseline (n = 30), and after achieving remission with either proton pump inhibitors (PPI, n = 10), swallowed topical corticosteroids (STC, n = 10) or food-elimination diets (FED, n = 10). Ten non-EoE biopsies were also characterized as controls. Compared to controls, no differences in alpha (intra-sample) diversity were found in EoE microbiota overall. However, it decreased significantly among patients who underwent FED. As for beta (inter-sample) diversity, non-EoE controls separated from EoE baseline samples. Post-treatment samples from patients treated with PPI and FED had a more similar microbiota composition, while those receiving STC were closer to controls. Differential testing of microbial relative abundance displayed significant changes for Filifactor, Parvimonas and Porphyromonas genera. Analysis of predicted functions indicated alterations in metabolic pathways and abundance of sulphur-cytochrome oxidoreductases. Our findings demonstrate changes in microbiota associated with EoE, as well as a treatment effect on the microbiome.

The Habitual Diet of Dutch Adult Patients with Eosinophilic Esophagitis Has Pro-Inflammatory Properties and Low Diet Quality Scores.

We determined the nutritional adequacy and overall quality of the diets of adult patients with eosinophilic esophagitis (EoE). Dietary intakes stratified by sex and age were compared to Dietary Reference Values (DRV). Overall diet quality was assessed by two independent Diet-Quality-Indices scores, the PANDiet and DHD-index, and compared to age- and gender-matched subjects from the general population. Lastly, food and nutrient intakes of EoE patients were compared to intakes of the general population. Saturated fat intake was significantly higher and dietary fiber intake significantly lower than the DRV in both males and females. In males, the DRV were not reached for potassium, magnesium, selenium, and vitamins A and D. In females, the DRV were not reached for iron, sodium, potassium, selenium, and vitamins A, B2, C and D. EoE patients had a significantly lower PANDiet and DHD-index compared to the general population, although the relative intake (per 1000 kcal) of vegetables/fruits/olives was significantly higher (yet still up to 65% below the recommended daily amounts) and alcohol intake was significantly lower compared to the general Dutch population. In conclusion, the composition of the habitual diet of adult EoE patients has several pro-inflammatory and thus unfavorable immunomodulatory properties, just as the general Dutch population, and EoE patients had lower overall diet quality scores than the general population. Due to the observational character of this study, further research is needed to explore whether this contributes to the development and progression of EoE.

Management of Eosinophilic Esophagitis: Dietary and Nondietary Approaches.

Eosinophilic esophagitis (EoE) is an allergen-driven chronic inflammatory condition, characterized by symptoms related to esophageal dysfunction and confirmed histologically by esophageal mucosal eosinophilia. Since its first description in the 1990s, the incidence and prevalence of EoE have been on the rise. It is known to affect all ages of various ethnic backgrounds and both sexes; however, it is most seen in White males. Children with EoE often present with abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting, and failure to thrive, whereas adults with EoE typically present with dysphagia and food impaction. Diagnosis of EoE requires histologic confirmation of elevated esophageal eosinophils in a symptomatic patient, and only after secondary causes have been excluded. Because EoE is a chronic and progressively fibrostenotic disease, treatment goals include resolution of symptoms, induction and maintenance of disease remission, and prevention and possibly reversal of fibrostenotic complications, while minimizing treatment-related adverse effects and improving quality of life. Treatment strategies include the "3 D's"-drugs, diet, and dilation. Standard drug therapies include proton-pump inhibitors and topical corticosteroids. Dietary therapies include elemental diet, allergy testing-directed elimination diet, and empiric elimination diets. Endoscopic esophageal dilation for EoE strictures can alleviate esophageal symptoms but has no effect on mucosal inflammation. Recent progress in EoE research has made possible evidence-based clinical guidelines. Ongoing pharmacologic trials show promise for novel biologic agents in the treatment of refractory EoE.

Effectiveness of allergy testing in milk induced eosinophilic esophagitis. Description and follow-up of patients.

INTRODUCTION: Eosinophilic esophagitis (EoE) is a chronic, local immune-mediated esophageal disease that has been on the increase lately. There is currently enough evidence to conclude that EoE is an allergic disorder triggered by food allergens, with cow's milk (CM) being the most frequent. Dietary intervention is the first-line approach. This study aimed to assess the clinical characteristics, the diagnostic method, and the prognosis of patients whose culprit food was CM, as opposed to other triggers. METHODS: Children with EoE evaluated in our pediatric Allergy Department were retrospectively studied from 2004 to 2017. We collected clinical variables, diagnostic protocol, treatment, and follow-up data. We compared patients whose culprit food was CM and patients with EoE due to other causative agents. RESULTS: We analyzed 31 children with EoE and found the causative food to be cow's milk in 14 (45%). Clinical characteristics were similar in patients with EoE due to milk or any other cause. Eight of 14 patients with milk-induced EoE (57.14%) presented positive skin prick test results against cow's milk. All patients had positive IgE against cow's milk. None of the patients had any other food as the trigger. The median follow-up was 2.68 years (6 months to 9 years) with initial remission of 100%. CONCLUSION: Testing-based elimination diets effectively treated all of the patients with milk-induced EoE. The advantage of this diagnostic protocol is that it required a mean of only two foods to be tested, significantly smaller number than in empiric diets.

Elimination diets for eosinophilic esophagitis: making the best choice.

INTRODUCTION: Dietary elimination therapy has long been an option for patients with eosinophilic esophagitis (EoE). Multiple diets have been reported, with variable efforts involved, efficacy rates, costs, and long-term management plans. Although the pros and cons of dietary elimination therapy have been described, a clear method for deciding on who is the right candidate for a diet, and which diet is best for that candidate, has not been clearly delineated. AREAS COVERED: This article covers the benefits and challenges of dietary elimination therapies for patients with EoE. It outlines factors to consider before opting for an elimination diet, and for choosing which specific elimination diet to follow. Efficacy rates and pros and cons of each specific elimination diet are also discussed. Peer-reviewed published studies testing various elimination diets in patients with EoE were used for that purpose. EXPERT OPINION: Dietary elimination therapy is a long-term management option for patients with EoE. Shared decision making involving the patient and the medical provider is important. Multiple factors including demographics, diet, nutritional status, social and financial support, and acceptance of multiple endoscopies need to be considered. Ongoing multi-disciplinary support during the initiation and maintenance phases of the diet is crucial to ensure good outcomes.

Dietary therapy for eosinophilic esophagitis: chances and limitations in the clinical practice.

INTRODUCTION: Eosinophilic esophagitis (EoE) is a non-Immunoglobulin E-mediated food allergy that currently represents the main cause of dysphagia and food impaction in children and young adults. Diet remains the only therapy targeting the cause of the disease. Relevant advances in recent years allow novel approaches to dietary therapy in EoE. AREAS COVERED: An up-to-date review on dietary therapy for EoE is provided, as a potential first-line anti-inflammatory therapy able to induce and maintain remission in a significant proportion of patients. Unpractical elemental diets and suboptimal food allergy testing-directed food restrictions paved the way for empiric elimination diets, which currently are to be considered as the most effective drug-free treatment for EoE. After largely restrictive empiric six-food elimination diets, most efficient step-up approaches now include four-food and two-food elimination diets. The potential of milk-elimination is also discussed. EXPERT COMMENTARY: An empiric elimination diet step-up strategy should be currently considered as the initial approach for dietary treatment in EoE patients of all ages. Compared to a top-down strategy, step-up diets reduce the need for endoscopic procedures, shorten diagnostic process times, and avoid unnecessary restrictions. Furthermore, early identification of responders with few food triggers may select best candidates for maintenance dietary therapy.

Efficacy of a Short-term Six-food Elimination Diet and Reintroduction Therapy in Pediatric Eosinophilic Gastroenteritis.

A 13-year-old boy presented to the hospital with a 3-month history of repeated vomiting and abdominal pain. Results of esophagogastroduodenoscopy revealed a diagnosis of eosinophilic gastroenteritis (EGE). We initiated a short-term six-food elimination diet (SFED) and reintroduction therapy over five days. On the third day of SFED, the patient's abdominal symptoms completely disappeared. However, he experienced unbearable abdominal pain six hours after the reintroduction of milk and peanuts. His symptoms remain completely controlled at present after eliminating milk and peanut products. The SFED and reintroduction therapy for EGE may be effective even for short-term treatments over a five-day period.

Disfagia de etiología familiar: esofagitis eosinofílica / No disponible

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Sustained Remission of Eosinophilic Esophagitis Following Discontinuation of Dietary Elimination in Children.

Eosinophilic esophagitis (EoE), when left untreated, may progress from an inflammatory to a fibrostenotic phenotype. Inflammation generally recurs after treatment withdrawal. Thus, long-term treatment has been recommended. Here, we describe a cohort of children with EoE who achieved clinical and histologic remission with elimination diets, and maintained sustained untreated remission (SUR) despite re-introduction of all eliminated food allergens.

Treatment of eosinophilic esophagitis with diets.

Eosinophilic esophagitis (EoE) is a chronic inflammatory esophageal disease triggered and maintained predominantly by food antigens. It represents a unique form of non-IgE mediated food allergy, largely dependent upon delayed, cell-mediated hypersensitivity. First-line therapies for EoE consist on drugs with anti-inflammatory effect (mainly including topic steroids and proton pump inhibitors) and dietary therapy. An elimination diet that avoids the consumption of food triggers currently remains the only therapy targeting the cause of EoE. Currently, available food allergy tests are suboptimal to predict food triggers for EoE, especially in adult patients. Elemental diets consisting in exclusively feeding patients with amino acid-based formulas and empiric 6-food elimination diets (withdrawing milk, wheat, egg, soy, nuts, and fish/seafood for 6 weeks) have consistently shown the best efficacy rates. However, their high level of restriction and the need for multiple endoscopies have hampered their implementation in clinical practice. In contrast, studies on 6-food elimination diets have been instrumental to decipher the most common food triggers in patients with EoE, being milk, wheat/gluten, and egg involved in most of patients from the United States, Spain, and Australia. Hence less restrictive empiric schemes, such as a 4-food elimination diet (dairy, wheat/gluten cereals, egg, and legumes) or a 2-food elimination diet (dairy and milk/gluten) were lately developed with good efficacy rates. A step-up strategy (2-4-6) may enhance patient uptake and promptly identify most responders to empiric diets with few food triggers This review updates the most relevant advances on dietary therapy for pediatric and adult patients with EoE.

A Novel Allergen-Specific Immune Signature-Directed Approach to Dietary Elimination in Eosinophilic Esophagitis.

OBJECTIVES: Dietary elimination for treatment of eosinophilic esophagitis (EoE) is limited by lack of accuracy in current allergy tests. We aimed to develop an immunologic approach to identify dietary triggers and prospectively test allergen-specific immune signature-guided dietary elimination therapy. METHODS: In the first phase, we developed and assessed 2 methods for determining selected food triggers using samples from 24 adults with EoE: a CD4+ T-cell proliferation assay in peripheral blood and food-specific tissue IgG4 levels in esophageal biopsies. In the second phase, we clinically tested elimination diets created from these methods in a prospective cohort treated for 6 weeks (NCT02722148). Outcomes included peak eosinophil counts (eos/hpf), endoscopic findings (measured by the EoE Endoscopic Reference Score), and symptoms (measured by the EoE Symptom Activity Index). RESULTS: Parameters were optimized with a positive test on either assay, yielding agreements of 60%, 75%, 53%, 58%, and 53% between predicted and known triggers of peanut, egg, soy, wheat, and milk, respectively. In clinical testing, the mean number of foods eliminated based on the assays was 3.4, and 19 of 22 subjects were compliant with treatment. After treatment, median peak eosinophil counts decreased from 75 to 35 (P = 0.007); there were 4 histologic responders (21%). The EoE Endoscopic Reference Score and EoE Symptom Activity Index score also decreased after treatment (4.6 vs 3.0; P = 0.002; and 32.5 vs 25.0; P = 0.06, respectively). DISCUSSION: We successfully developed a new testing approach using CD4 T-cell proliferation and esophageal food-specific IgG4 levels, with promising accuracy rates. In clinical testing, this led to improvement in eosinophil counts, endoscopic severity, and symptoms of dysphagia, but a smaller than expected number of patients achieved histologic remission.

Triple Diagnosis of Crohn's Disease, Celiac Disease, and Eosinophilic Esophagitis in a Child With Siderius-Hamel Syndrome.

Siderius-Hamel syndrome is a rare condition characterized by intellectual disability and distinct facial features. Crohn's disease-related eosinophilic esophagitis (EoE) has been reported; however, an association between celiac disease and EoE remains controversial. We present a case of a child with Siderius-Hamel syndrome who had characteristic findings of all these conditions-Crohn's disease, celiac disease, and EoE-an occurrence that to our knowledge has not been reported previously. The purpose of this report is to make physicians aware of this rare occurrence, so that it can be kept in mind while evaluating a patient with Siderius-Hamel syndrome presenting with gastrointestinal complaints.

Eosinophilic esophagitis.

Eosinophilic esophagitis (EoE) is defined by symptoms related to esophageal dysfunction, persistent esophageal eosinophilia, and exclusion of other etiologies that may be contributing to the condition. EoE is different from erosive esophagitis. In children, symptoms vary by age groups, such as feeding disorders in 2 year olds; vomiting in 8 year olds; and abdominal pain, dysphagia, and/or food impaction in adolescents. Most adults present with dysphagia, food impaction, heartburn, or chest pain. Common endoscopic features in adults with EoE include linear furrows (creases that orient longitudinally), mucosal rings (esophageal "trachealization"), small-caliber esophagus, white plaques or exudates (which are microabscesses of eosinophils), and strictures. Children often present with similar endoscopic features, yet one-third of pediatric patients with EoE have a normal result in an endoscopic examination. Histologic features of EoE include increased intramucosal eosinophils in the esophagus (≥15 eosinophils per high power field), without similar findings in the stomach or duodenum. There also may be eosinophilic microabscesses. In addition to evidence of mast cell activation, mucosa from patients with EoE have increased levels of interleukin 5; supporting eosinophilia; and upregulation of gene expression of eotaxin-3, a chemokine important in eosinophil migration. The majority of patients have evidence of either aeroallergen and/or food sensitization. Dietary therapy is considered first-line therapy for patients with EoE because it is inexpensive and effective, without requiring pharmacologic therapy. Removal of food antigens has been shown to improve symptoms in patients with EoE. Topical corticosteroids improve esophageal eosinophilia and symptoms, and have become the criterion standard of pharmacotherapy.