Pediatric Eosinophilic Esophagitis in Slovenia: Data From a Retrospective 2005-2012 Epidemiological Study

The aim of the present study was to assess the incidence, characteristics, therapeutic approach, and response to therapy of eosinophilic esophagitis (EoE) in a pediatric population from Slovenia.

A retrospective study was conducted on a cohort of children newly diagnosed as having EoE, ages 0 to 18 years, residing in Slovenia, in the period between 2005 and 2012. For each child presenting symptoms, family and personal history of allergies, blood, skin and patch allergy tests, endoscopic and histological findings, types of therapy, and therapeutic success were recorded.

In total, 25 patients of EoE were identified during the study period. The mean annual incidence (per 100,000 children) was 0.8 (95% confidence interval [CI] 0.58-1.16). The incidences of EoE increased from 0.2 (0.01-1.36), 0.3 (0.01-1.38), and 0.3 (0.01-1.40) in the period 2005-2007, respectively, to 1.8 (0.72-3.76), 1.0 (0.28-2.60), and 1.8 (0.72-3.65) in the period 2010-2012, respectively (P = 0.002). In 9 patients, symptomatic and histological remissions were achieved with specific food elimination diet: in 8 with 6-food elimination diet and in 1 with an additional budesonide. In majority of patients, budesonide improved only symptoms, but esophageal eosinophilia persisted. Twenty percent of our children had improvement of histology and symptoms of EoE in spite of gradual reintroduction of all food and stopping all medication.

The annual incidence of childhood EoE in Slovenia is comparable with the reports from the developed European countries, and it increased by 6-folds in the last decade.