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. 2025 Jan 1;120(1):254-258.
doi: 10.14309/ajg.0000000000003192. Epub 2024 Nov 6.

The Minimally Invasive 1-Hour Esophageal String Test Monitors Therapeutic Changes in Mucosal Inflammation in Eosinophilic Esophagitis

Steven J Ackerman  1 , Amir F Kagalwalla  2 , Zhaoxing Pan  3 , Joshua Wechsler  2 , Kaitlin Keeley  2 , Nirmala Gonsalves  4 , Ikuo Hirano  4 , Angelika Zalewski  4 , Paul Menard-Katcher  5 , Calies Menard-Katcher  3 , Sandeep K Gupta  6 , Nikhil Chauhan  1 , Milica Grozdanovic  1 , Dan Atkins  7 , Nathalie Nguyen  7 , Glenn T Furuta  7
Affiliations

The Minimally Invasive 1-Hour Esophageal String Test Monitors Therapeutic Changes in Mucosal Inflammation in Eosinophilic Esophagitis

Steven J Ackerman et al. Am J Gastroenterol. .

Abstract

Introduction: Endoscopy, standard-of-care for monitoring eosinophilic esophagitis (EoE), assesses mucosal inflammation. The Esophageal String Test (EST), a minimally invasive swallowed capsule and immunoassays, quantifies EoE inflammation. We determined whether the EST/EoEScore can monitor disease in patients undergoing treatment.

Methods: Thirty-three samples from 14 patients with EoE (7 children, 7 adults) who underwent repeat endoscopies and ESTs were studied. Biopsies were analyzed for peak eosinophil counts; ESTs were analyzed for EoEScores.

Results: Eosinophil counts and EoEScores significantly correlated during treatment, distinguishing patients with active EoE from treatment-associated remissions for 93.9% of ESTs performed.

Discussion: The EST can be used to longitudinally monitor responses to treatment in EoE.

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