Endoscopic findings in patients with eosinophilic esophagitis

Endoscopy has a key role in establishing the diagnosis of eosinophilic esophagitis (EoE), but endoscopic features of EoE might not be well known.

All patients aged 18 or older who were diagnosed with EoE from 2008 to 2013 were systematically identified retrospectively and findings at esophago-gastro-duodenoscopy (EGD) were reviewed by two experienced endoscopists through a query of the university hospital database. Patients in whom biopsies from the esophagus were lacking or inadequate for histopathological examination were excluded.

23 patients (17 male, 6 female) were included into the study (median age: 38 years, range: 19 to 71 years). Patients presented with the following symptoms: 12 (52 %) had bolus obstruction and 18 (78 %) dysphagia and/or chest pain. At EGD, 22 of 23 (96 %) patients were observed with at least one endoscopic feature of EoE, i. e., mucosal edema (52 %), longitudinal furrows (57 %), vertical furrows (48 %), or crêpe paper esophagus (52 %).

Typical endoscopic features were present in most patients in whom EoE was diagnosed. Recognizing typical characteristics of EoE is substantial for establishing the diagnosis and for taking biopsies.