Is Eosinophilic Esophagitis common?
Eosinophilic Esophagitis is not common. In fact, in the past, it was considered to be a rare occurence and mostly a disease of children. Recently however, there have been an increased number of cases involving adults. It was not described before the 1970’s. It now is known to affect both children and adults. Males are affected more commonly than females, and it is more common in younger (20s to 30s) that older adults. The typical patient complaints of difficulty swallowing, which may have been present for years. They may also have symptoms of heartburn and acid reflux which have not responded to medications nor antireflux surgery. Children can complain of vomiting, feeding disorders or abdominal pain. Often times there is a history of other allergic diseases such as asthma, food or environmental allergies, hives, etc. Of note, there is no known increased incidence of cancer in the esophagus in patients with this condition. How is Eosinophilic Esophagitis diagnosed? The diagnosis of Eos
