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Review
. 2022 Apr;67(4):1101-1115.
doi: 10.1007/s10620-022-07419-6. Epub 2022 Mar 1.

Pathophysiology of Dysphagia in Eosinophilic Esophagitis: Causes, Consequences, and Management

Edward Young  1   2 , Hamish Philpott  3   4
Affiliations
Review

Pathophysiology of Dysphagia in Eosinophilic Esophagitis: Causes, Consequences, and Management

Edward Young et al. Dig Dis Sci. 2022 Apr.

Abstract

Eosinophilic esophagitis (EoE) is a leading cause of food bolus impaction in children and adults. The mechanism of dysphagia in EoE, particularly non-obstructive dysphagia, remains incompletely understood. While fibrostenotic processes appear to be critical in the development of dysphagia, somatosensory dysfunction and dysmotility also contribute. This review considers potential mechanisms of dysphagia and evaluates the utility of current and future treatment strategies in this context.

Keywords: Barium swallow; Dysmotility; Dysphagia; Eosinophilic esophagitis; FLIP; Food bolus obstruction; Manometry.

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Conflict of interest statement

No authors have any conflicts of interest to disclose. No grant support has been provided for this review.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Anatomical distortion predisposing to dysphagia in EoE. a: Normal esophageal layers. B Eosinophilic infiltration throughout all layers of the esophagus, with increased epithelial thickness, submucosal fibrosis, muscle hypertrophy and hyperplasia, and submucosal fibrosis. This figure was created using Servier Medical Art available at https://smart.servier.com
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
Dysphagia due to hold-up of a food bolus resulting from fibrostenotic processes. This figure was created using Servier Medical Art available at https://smart.servier.com
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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