ACG Clinical Guideline: Diagnosis and Management of Eosinophilic Esophagitis

Abstract

Eosinophilic esophagitis (EoE) is a chronic immune-mediated disease of the esophagus. It is diagnosed in the setting of symptoms of esophageal dysfunction and an eosinophilic predominant infiltrate in the esophagus. The condition is rapidly increasing in incidence and prevalence and is commonly encountered in gastroenterology and allergy practices, emergency departments, and primary care settings. Over the past decade, there have been paradigm shifts in disease diagnosis and management, increases in knowledge about EoE risk factors, natural history, and pathogenesis, and development of validated outcome metrics. This updated American College of Gastroenterology Clinical Guideline uses Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development, and Evaluation methodology to make recommendations across domains of diagnosis, treatment, monitoring and assessment of response, and pediatric-specific considerations. Proton pump inhibitors, topical steroids, empiric diet elimination, a biologic, and esophageal dilation are all recommended treatments; feeding therapy is used adjunctively in children with food aversion or feeding dysfunction. Monitoring with clinical, endoscopic, and histologic assessments is recommended to assess for treatment response and follow patients over time with maintenance therapy. When evaluating and following patients with EoE, consideration should be given to assessing and controlling both the inflammatory and fibrostenotic aspects of disease.