EoE Module 7 References-Menard-Katcher et al Am J Gastroenterol. 2017 Influence of Age and Eosinophilic Esophagitis on Esophageal Distensibility in a Pediatric Cohort

Menard-Katcher et al Am J Gastroenterol. 2017 Influence of Age and Eosinophilic Esophagitis on Esophageal Distensibility in a Pediatric Cohort

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This study examined the effects of age and eosinophilic esophagitis (EoE) on esophageal distensibility in children, using the functional lumen imaging probe (FLIP). EoE is a chronic immune-mediated disease that can cause esophageal inflammation and remodeling, leading to conditions such as food impaction and esophageal strictures. The study involved a prospective observational analysis conducted at two pediatric hospitals, assessing 132 children aged 3-18, with 88 diagnosed with EoE and 44 without.<br /><br />The research found that esophageal distensibility increases with age in children without EoE, but this correlation was not present in children with EoE. The distensibility was generally reduced in children with the disease, particularly when active inflammation and lamina propria fibrosis were present. The study established that active EoE patients exhibited decreased esophageal distensibility compared to non-EoE individuals, suggesting potential remodeling of the esophagus in affected children.<br /><br />The FLIP tool was validated in this research as a feasible and safe method for measuring esophageal distensibility in pediatric patients, potentially allowing for early identification of remodeling associated with EoE. The study results support the idea that early diagnosis and treatment of EoE are crucial to avoid complications like fibrostenosis.<br /><br />Overall, the findings suggest that using FLIP during diagnostic endoscopy can assist in identifying esophageal changes early in pediatric patients, potentially improving treatment outcomes and decreasing the risk of severe complications associated with EoE as they age. This study emphasizes the importance of controlling inflammation to possibly revert or halt fibrotic remodeling, advocating for early and consistent therapeutic intervention.

Keywords

eosinophilic esophagitis

esophageal distensibility

functional lumen imaging probe

pediatric patients

esophageal inflammation

esophageal remodeling

fibrostenosis

diagnostic endoscopy

therapeutic intervention

lamina propria fibrosis