Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
. 2018 Mar;2(3):163-170.
doi: 10.1159/000486131. Epub 2018 Jan 31.

Cohort Profile: The Swiss Eosinophilic Esophagitis Cohort Study (SEECS)

Ekaterina Safroneeva  1 , Catherine Saner  2 , Jean-Benoît Rossel  2 , Delphine Golay  2 , Valérie Pittet  2 , Sébastien Godat  3 , Stefan Diem  4 , Patrick Aepli  4 , Mikael Sawatzki  5 , Jan Borovicka  5 , Konstantin Burgmann  6 , Pascal Juillerat  7 , Peter Netzer  8 , Alexander Sendensky  8 , Petr Hruz  9 , Marc Girardin  10 , Luc Biedermann  11 , Thomas Greuter  11 , Stephan Vavricka  11 , Pierre Michetti  3   12 , Christoph Mueller  13 , Alex Straumann  11   14 , Alain M Schoepfer  3 ; Swiss EoE Cohort Study Group
Affiliations

Cohort Profile: The Swiss Eosinophilic Esophagitis Cohort Study (SEECS)

Ekaterina Safroneeva et al. Inflamm Intest Dis. 2018 Mar.

Abstract

Background and aims: The prospective, observational Swiss Eosinophilic Esophagitis Cohort Study (SEECS) was set up in 2015 with the following goals in mind: (1) to provide up-to-date epidemiologic data; (2) to assess the appropriateness of care; (3) to evaluate the psychosocial impact; and (4) to foster translational research projects. Data capture relies on validated instruments to assess disease activity and focuses on epidemiologic variables and biosamples (esophageal biopsies and blood specimens). An annual inclusion of 70 new patients with eosinophilic esophagitis (EoE) or proton pump inhibitor-responsive esophageal eosinophilia (PPI-REE) is intended. We herein describe the SEECS cohort profile.

Methods: The SEECS includes adult patients (age ≥18 years) with EoE or PPI-REE diagnosed according to published criteria. After inclusion, the patients are typically seen once a year for a clinical and endoscopic/histologic follow-up examination. Data are captured using validated questionnaires. Biosamples from patients with gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) and controls with a healthy esophagus are collected as well.

Results: From January 2016 to July 2017, a total of 111 patients with EoE and 10 patients with PPI-REE were recruited. In addition, esophageal biopsies and blood samples from 11 patients with GERD and 20 controls with a healthy esophagus were collected. The mean age of the patients with EoE and those with PPI-REE was 39.6 ± 12.9 and 44.6 ± 15.6 years, respectively. A male predominance was found among both the patients with EoE (77.5%) and those with PPI-REE (70%). Concomitant allergic disorders were found in 79.3% of the patients with EoE and 90% of the patients with PPI-REE. At inclusion, the EoE patients were treated with the following therapeutic regimens: no therapy (0.9%), PPI (36%), swallowed topical corticosteroids (82.9%), elimination diets (15.3%), and esophageal dilation (19.8%).

Conclusions: The SEECS is the first national cohort study of patients with EoE or PPI-REE. The SEECS will provide up-to-date epidemiologic data and foster translational research projects.

Keywords: Cohort profile; Cohort study; Eosinophilic esophagitis; Gastroesophageal reflux disease; Proton pump inhibitor-responsive esophageal eosinophilia.

PubMed Disclaimer

Figures

Fig. 1.
Fig. 1.
Location of the major centers of inclusion and their working areas.
Fig. 2.
Fig. 2.
Cumulative numbers of patients with eosinophilic esophagitis (EoE) and proton pump inhibitor-responsive esophageal eosinophilia (PPI-REE) included between January 2016 and July 2017. SEECS, Swiss Eosinophilic Esophagitis Cohort Study.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

References

    1. Attwood SE, Smyrk TC, Demeester TR, Jones JB. Esophageal eosinophilia with dysphagia, a distinct clinicopathologic syndrome. Dig Dis Sci. 1993;38:109–116. - PubMed
    1. Straumann A, Spichtin HP, Bernoulli R, et al. Idiopathic eosinophilic esophagitis: a frequently overlooked disease with typical clinical aspects and discrete endoscopic findings (in German with English abstract) Schweiz Med Wochenschr. 1994;124:1419–1429. - PubMed
    1. Liacouras CA, Furuta GT, Hirano I, et al. Eosinophilic esophagitis: updated consensus recommendations for children and adults. J Allergy Clin Immunol. 2011;128:3–20. - PubMed
    1. Lucendo AJ, Molina-Infante J, Arias Á, et al. Guidelines on eosinophilic esophagitis: evidence-based statements and recommendations for diagnosis and management in children and adults. United European Gastroenterol J. 2017;5:335–358. - PMC - PubMed
    1. Dellon ES, Gonsalves N, Hirano I, et al. ACG clinical guideline: evidenced based approach to the diagnosis and management of esophageal eosinophilia and eosinophilic esophagitis (EoE) Am J Gastroenterol. 2013;108:679–692. - PubMed