Papers of the Week

Eosinophilic esophagitis (EoE) is an inflammatory condition limited to the esophagus, predominantly consisting of eosinophils, and triggered by hypersensitivity reactions. Recurrent dysphagia secondary to EoE is uncommon in patients with no history of asthma and/or atopic conditions. We are presenting a case of a 48-year-old male suffering from dysphagia for 10 years that worsened over a six-month period. The patient reported no known food and drug allergies, asthma, and other atopic conditions. On esophagogastroduodenoscopy (EGD), the patient fulfilled all five endoscopic reference score (EREFS) criteria, granting a final diagnosis of eosinophilic esophagitis with a score of 6. Biopsy confirmed eosinophilic esophagitis, revealing 20 eosinophils/high-power fields. Skin prick testing was negative. His symptoms had improved at the office follow-up after three weeks after esophageal dilation and proton pump inhibitor (PPI) but did not completely resolve. The patient was then started on fluticasone 440 mcg two times a day. After eight weeks, the patient was symptom-free by taking dual therapy of PPI and fluticasone. The patient was advised to continue taking the daily PPI and then a six-week course of fluticasone if he experienced an exacerbation in his symptoms. In this report, symptom improvement with esophageal dilation, PPI, and fluticasone suggested a successful treatment regimen for EoE in the setting of no known atopy in our patient. Our case highlights EoE in an adult with no known asthma and allergies. The report identifies the importance of a prompt clinical diagnosis and appropriate combination treatment due to the progressive pain and its worsening associated with eosinophilic esophagitis.