Incidence and prevalence of eosinophilic oesophagitis increase continiously in adults and children in Central Spain: A 12-year population-based study

Abstract

Objectives: To update population-based incidence, prevalence and trends for eosinophilic oesophagitis (EoE) in children and adults over the past decade.

Methods: All patients referred to our EoE unit and living in the study area up to December 2017 were prospectively registered. Endoscopy and pathology databases and clinical charts were manually reviewed. Diagnosis of EoE was confirmed upon symptoms of oesophageal dysfunction and eosinophilia >15 eos/HPF. Annual incidence rates and prevalence were estimated with confidence intervals (CI) of 95%.

Results: A total of 117 patients, including 19 children, were diagnosed with EoE in the 2006-2017 period. In 2017, the prevalence of EoE in children was 111.9 (95%CI, 67.4-174.6) cases/100,000 inhabitants and in adults 111.9 (95%CI, 90.8-136.5) also, and in both cases was significantly higher for male patients. The highest prevalences were observed in ages ranging between 20 and 24 and 35-39 years old. Mean incidence rates of the study period were 10.6 and 9.1 new cases/100,000 inhabitants/year in children and adults, respectively. Rise in the appearance of EoE during the study period exceeded that for endoscopic procedures. No seasonal variation was observed in the diagnosis of EoE.

Conclusion: The incidence and prevalence of EoE has increased sharply in central Spain, beyond previous estimations, with one out of every 893 inhabitants now being diagnosed.

Keywords: Eosinophilic esophagitis; Incidence; Prevalence; Spain.