Pediatric and adult eosinophilic esophagitis: similarities and differences.

Early in the 1990s, several case series described adults suffering from dysphagia and children with refractory reflux symptoms, both accompanied by an eosinophil-predominant infiltration, thereby conclusively distinguishing it from gastroesophageal reflux disease. Eosinophilic esophagitis (EoE) was recognized as its own entity in the adult and in the pediatric literature. In the last decade, evidence has accumulated that EoE represents a T-helper (Th)2-type inflammatory disease. Remodeling of the esophagus is a hallmark of EoE, leading to esophageal dysfunction and bolus impaction. Familial occurrence and disease association with single-nucleotide polymorphisms underscore the influence of genetics in this disease. Eosinophilic esophagitis may affect individuals at any age, although the clinical presentation is highly age dependent. There is a significant allergic bias in the EoE population, with the majority of patients having concurrent allergic rhinitis, asthma, eczema, and/or a history of atopy. One noteworthy difference is that in children, EoE seems to be primarily a food antigen-driven disease, whereas in adults, mainly aeroallergen sensitization has been observed. Treatment modalities for EoE include the 3Ds: drugs, diet, and dilation. The crucial question of whether adult and pediatric EoE are different phenotypes of one single entity or whether we are confronted with two different diseases is still open. Here, we review similarities and differences between EoE in adults and children.

Resolution of remodeling in eosinophilic esophagitis correlates with epithelial response to topical corticosteroids.

BACKGROUND: Esophageal remodeling occurs in eosinophilic esophagitis (EE) patients but whether the components of remodeling in the subepithelium are reversible by administration of topical oral corticosteroids is unknown. METHODS: We quantitated the degree of lamina propria remodeling in esophageal biopsies obtained before and after at least 3 months of therapy with budesonide in 16 pediatric EE subjects. In addition, we investigated whether corticosteroid therapy modulated vascular activation (expression of VCAM-1; level of interstitial edema), TGFbeta(1) activation (levels of TGFbeta(1), phosphorylated Smad2/3), and performed a pilot analysis of a polymorphism in the TGFbeta(1) promoter in relation to EE subjects who had reduced remodeling with budesonide therapy. RESULTS: EE subjects were stratified based on the presence (n = 9) or absence (n = 7) of decreased epithelial eosinophilia following budesonide. Patients with residual eosinophil counts of

TGFß1 single-nucleotide polymorphism C-509T alters mucosal cell function in pediatric eosinophilic esophagitis.

Eosinophilic esophagitis (EoE) is a chronic Th2 antigen-driven disorder associated with tissue remodeling. Inflammation and remodeling lead to esophageal rigidity, strictures, and dysphagia. TGFß1 drives esophageal remodeling including epithelial barrier dysfunction and subepithelial fibrosis. A functional SNP in the TGFß1 gene that increases its transcription (C-509T) is associated with elevated numbers of esophageal TGFß1-expressing cells. We utilized esophageal biopsies and fibroblasts from TT-genotype EoE children to understand if TGFß1 influenced fibroblast and epithelial cell function in vivo. Genotype TT EoE esophageal fibroblasts had higher baseline TGFß1, collagen1α1, periostin, and MMP2 (p < 0.05) gene expression and distinct contractile properties compared with CC genotype (n = 6 subjects per genotype). In vitro TGFß1 exposure caused greater induction of target gene expression in genotype CC fibroblasts (p < 0.05). Esophageal biopsies from TT-genotype subjects had significantly less epithelial membrane-bound E-cadherin (p < 0.01) and wider cluster distribution at nanometer resolution. TGFß1 treatment of stratified primary human esophageal epithelial cells and spheroids disrupted transepithelial resistance (p < 0.001) and E-cadherin localization (p < 0.0001). A TGFß1-receptor-I inhibitor improved TGFß1-mediated E-cadherin mislocalization. These data suggest that EoE severity can depend on genotypic differences that increase in vivo exposure to TGFß1. TGFß1 inhibition may be a useful therapy in subsets of EoE patients.

Eosinophilic oesophagitis: relationship of quality of life with clinical, endoscopic and histological activity.

BACKGROUND: Knowledge about determinants of quality of life (QoL) in eosinophilic oesophagitis (EoO) patients helps to identify patients at risk of experiencing poor QoL and to tailor therapeutic interventions accordingly. AIM: To evaluate the impact of symptom severity, endoscopic and histological activity on EoE-specific QoL in adult EoE patients. METHODS: Ninety-eight adult EoE patients were prospectively included (64% male, median age 39 years). Patients completed two validated instruments to assess EoE-specific QoL (EoO-QoL-A) and symptom severity (adult EoE activity index patient-reported outcome) and then underwent esophagogastroduodenoscopy with biopsy sampling. Physicians reported standardised information on EoE-associated endoscopic and histological alterations. The Spearman's rank correlation coefficient was calculated to determine the relationship between QoL and symptom severity. Linear regression and analysis of variance was used to quantify the extent to which variations in severity of EoE symptoms, endoscopic and histological findings explain variations in QoL. RESULTS: Quality of life strongly correlated with symptom severity (r = 0.610, P < 0.001). While the variation in severity of symptoms, endoscopic and histological findings alone explained 38%, 35% and 22% of the variability in EoE-related QoL, respectively, these together explained 60% of variation. Symptom severity explained 18-35% of the variation in each of the five QoL subscale scores. CONCLUSIONS: Eosinophilic oesophagitis symptom severity and biological disease activity determine QoL in adult patients with eosinophilic oesophagitis. Therefore, reduction in both eosinophilic oesophagitis symptoms as well as biological disease activity is essential for improvement of QoL in adult patients. Clinicaltrials.gov number, NCT00939263.