What Is Eosinophilic Esophagitis?
Eosinophilic esophagitis (also known as EoE) is an inflammatory disease of the esophagus which can lead to difficulty swallowing (dysphagia) or food getting stuck in the esophagus. It is characterized by a large number of eosinophils (a type of white blood cell) found in the esophagus.
Previously considered to be a rare disease, EoE is emerging as a leading cause of food impaction and difficulty swallowing. EoE is diagnosed through biopsies taken during an upper endoscopy (EGD).
Symptoms
Symptoms of EoE include the following:
- Difficulty swallowing (dysphagia)
- Food impaction (food getting stuck in the esophagus)
- Chronic heartburn
- Upper abdominal pain
- Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) that does not respond to medication
The University of Utah Health Gastroenterology Services has multiple providers who specialize in the diagnosis, treatment, and research of EoE. Because there is no singular treatment of EoE, our expert providers can work with patients to determine the best individual treatment options for them.