Eosinophilic Esophagitis: Influence of Dilation on Dysphagia and Inflammation

Eosinophilic esophagitis (EE) is a chronic, increasingly recognized disease of the esophagus, clinico-pathologically characterized by a proton-pump-inhibitor resistant, dense esophageal eosinophilia in combination with esophagus-related symptoms. Patients suffer mainly from dysphagia, a feared long-term complication is the evolution of esophageal stenoses leading to food-bolus impaction that have to be removed endoscopically. Anti-inflammatory therapy with systemic or topical corticosteroids have shown to be efficacious in children as well as in adults. However, relapses occur in general soon after the cessation of this medication. In addition, several studies have demonstrated that in adults with active EE dilation is an alternative safe and efficacious therapeutic option. Surprisingly, the symptom-free period seems to be much longer after this procedure than after medical treatment. Today, the selection of these two procedures depends more on local practices than on evidence based data, because robust data are lacking. Furthermore, there are concerns regarding the risk of the dilation-procedure (possible esophageal perforations and major bleeding). Furthermore, it has not yet been assessed if dilation changes the underlying eosinophilic inflammation. If not, investigations should be performed to evaluate if long-term anti-eosinophilic therapy is able to change the natural course of the disease and reduce the stricturing complications.