Systematic review: Eosinophilic esophagitis in Asian countries

Area of Science:

• Gastroenterology
• Immunology
• Allergy

Background:

• Eosinophilic esophagitis (EoE) is a chronic immune-mediated esophageal disease.
• Understanding its prevalence and clinical features in diverse populations is crucial for diagnosis and management.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the prevalence and clinical characteristics of eosinophilic esophagitis in Asian patients.
• To compare these findings with those reported in Western populations.

Main Methods:

• Systematic literature search of PubMed and Web of Science databases (1980-2015).
• Inclusion of original studies, case series, and individual case reports from Asian countries.
• Analysis of 25 articles comprising 217 Asian patients with eosinophilic esophagitis.

Main Results:

• The mean age of affected adults was approximately 50 years, with 73% being male.
• Dysphagia was the primary symptom (44%), and bronchial asthma was the most frequent comorbid allergic disease (24%).
• Endoscopic findings typical of EoE were observed in 82% of cases; one-third responded to proton pump inhibitors.

Conclusions:

• Eosinophilic esophagitis in Asian patients exhibits similar clinical characteristics to those in Western patients.
• This suggests a conserved pathogenesis of eosinophilic esophagitis across different ethnic groups.