Eosinophilic Oesophagitis

Eosinophilic oesophagitis results in an inflamed oesophagus, the muscular tube that connects the mouth to the stomach. Around 8 in 10 cases are seen in people with allergic conditions such as hay fever and asthma. The frequency of eosinophilic oesophagitis appears to be increasing. The reasons are unclear, but it is known that allergies of all types have become more common then they were a generation or two ago. An article on this topic has just been released on the ASCIA website to help people recognise this condition. In Eosinophilic Oesophagitis the lining of the oesophagus is infiltrated with eosinophils, a type of white blood cell that also causes the allergic type of inflammation seen in hay fever and asthma. This can result in abnormal function of the oesophagus and symptoms of heart burn. It affects mainly children and young adults and should be suspected when a person complains of: -- foods sticking on the way down, sometimes completely; -- choking on food; -- regurgitation of foods, and sometimes; -- severe acid reflux (heartburn) that does not respond to medicines used to suppress stomach acid production; Untreated, the condition can result in permanent scarring of the oesophagus. It should be noted that mild reflux and vomiting are common in children and adults, and most do not have eosinophilic oesophagitis. Diagnosis and Treatment -- Skin prick testing for pollen and foods is useful if there are suspected allergies. -- Sometimes a blood sample will show a higher than normal levels of eosinophils in the blood. -- Diagnosis requires confirmation by endoscopy and biopsy, usually performed by a gastroenterologist. -- Treatment usually involves medication and avoidance of the foods which a person is allergic to. allergens which cause the problem. -- Research into managing this condition is ongoing.

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