What's new in the diagnosis and therapy of eosinophilic esophagitis?

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: Eosinophilic esophagitis (EoE) is a relatively new chronic inflammatory disease of the esophagus. Novel aspects in the diagnosis and treatment of EoE are discussed in this review. RECENT FINDINGS: Development of diagnostic guidelines consisting of symptoms as well as endoscopic and histopathologic criteria has improved the awareness of clinicians and the diagnosing of EoE. The clinically challenging discrimination of EoE from gastroesophageal reflux disease has become more obvious and has evoked the need for more individualized therapy options. Today, most patients with EoE can be treated successfully with topical corticosteroids. However, no convincing alternative treatment strategies exist for corticosteroid-refractory or corticosteroid-dependent patients. Interestingly, a single-nucleotide polymorphism in the eotaxin-3 gene has been linked to increased disease susceptibility for EoE. SUMMARY: EoE is an emerging esophageal disease. A better understanding of the pathogenesis of this disorder would improve the clinical recognition and diagnostic ability and ultimately provide patients with more optimal treatment options.