EOSINOPHILIC ESOPHAGITIS

Course overview

THE ESOPHAGUS PHYSIOLOGICALLY LACKS EOSINOPHILS, AND WHEN PRESENT, THE CONDITION IS CONSIDERED TO BE PATHOLOGIC. EOSINOPHILIC ESOPHAGITIS (EOE) WAS ONCE THOUGHT TO BE A COMPONENT OF GASTROESOPHAGEAL REFLUX DISEASE (GERD). HOWEVER, IT IS NOW KNOWN TO BE A SEPARATE ENTITY AS THE KNOWLEDGE OF THE ESOPHAGUS AS AN ACTIVE IMMUNOGENIC ORGAN HAS EVOLVED. EOSINOPHILS CAN BE FOUND IN THE ESOPHAGUS IN RESPONSE TO VARIOUS STIMULI OR ANTIGEN. THIS ACTIVITY EXPLAINS HOW TO PROPERLY EVALUATE FOR EOSINOPHILIC ESOPHAGITIS, AND HIGHLIGHTS THE ROLE OF THE INTERPROFESSIONAL TEAM IN CARING FOR PATIENTS WITH THIS CONDITION.