Proton Pump Inhibitors Help Most Pediatric Patients With EoE

Amid an absence of data on eosinophilic esophagitis (EoE) in pediatric patients, researchers recently reported on the clinical features of children diagnosed with EoE in Ecuador. They published their study in Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition.

“This is the first retrospective study in Ecuador that describes the clinical, endoscopic, and histological manifestations of EoE in a small pediatric population,” researchers wrote.

The study was conducted at a hospital in Quito. Between 2009 and 2020, 35 children were diagnosed with EoE, 74% of whom were male. The average age at diagnosis was 9.4±4.5 years, according to the study.

Abdominal pain was the main symptom in 51.4%, followed by vomiting in 31.4%. Nearly half (47.1%) of the children had a history of allergic disease, such as allergic rhinitis, atopic dermatitis, or food allergy. Endoscopy revealed furrowing in 82.9% and edema in 74.3%.

“Clinical characteristics of symptoms, endoscopic findings, and associated comorbid allergic diseases [in our study] were comparable to those of other studies,” researchers observed.

All 35 children were initially treated with proton pump inhibitors for 6 to 8 weeks. Among 26 children who underwent a second upper gastrointestinal endoscopy, 65% showed clinical and histological resolution. Patients who did not respond to proton pump inhibitors were prescribed steroids and diet therapy, and 5 patients were referred to an allergist.

“Most patients in this study showed good clinical response to proton pump inhibitor treatment,” researchers concluded. “A population-based, multicenter study with long-term follow-up is warranted to estimate the prevalence and incidence of EoE in Ecuadorian children.”

Reference:
Muñoz FV, Almeida PH, Carrión-Jaramillo E, Montalvo AV. Clinical features of eosinophilic esophagitis: a single center experience in Ecuador. Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition. 2022;25(4):293-299. doi:10.5223/pghn.2022.25.4.293