A groundbreaking study from Ann & Robert H. Lurie Kid’s Hospital of Chicago determined the brink for a recent measure of early scarring within the esophagus of youngsters with eosinophilic esophagitis (EoE), which allows immediate intervention during endoscopy to halt further damage and forestall food from getting stuck within the esophagus (feeding tube) of youngsters with this condition. Findings were published within the journal Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology, and were supported by the Campaign Urging Research for Eosinophilic Diseases (CURED) Foundation.

EoE is a chronic immune-mediated disorder of the esophagus that affects adults and youngsters with a prevalence of 0.5 to 1 per 1000. Left untreated, chronic inflammation promotes scarring of the esophagus, and the event of esophageal rings and stricture, which interferes with passage of solid food and may cause impaction (when food is stuck within the esophagus and can’t dislodge).

Endoscopic Functional Luminal Impedance Probe (EndoFLIP) was utilized in the study to measure the “distensibility index,” which is a functional measure of how much force is required to stretch open the esophagus. Previously, the extent of scar tissue within the esophagus could only be evaluated visually during endoscopy, making it difficult to detect the early changes and intervene before the damage becomes more extensive.

It is a gamechanger in how we care for teenagers with EoE. Now, if distensibility is low, we are able to dilate the esophagus through the same procedure, and since we are able to pinpoint exactly where the scarring is, our intervention is more targeted and takes much less time. We’re seeing improvements in symptoms, which is incredibly exciting.”

Joshua Wechsler, MD, MSCI, Senior Creator, Medical Director of Eosinophilic Gastrointestinal Diseases Program at Lurie Kid’s, CURED Research Scholar at Lurie Kid’s, and Assistant Professor of Pediatrics at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine

Research at Ann & Robert H. Lurie Kid’s Hospital of Chicago is conducted through Stanley Manne Kid’s Research Institute. The Manne Research Institute is concentrated on improving child health, transforming pediatric medicine and ensuring healthier futures through the relentless pursuit of data. Lurie Kid’s is ranked as one in every of the nation’s top kid’s hospitals by U.S. News & World Report. It’s the pediatric training ground for Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine.

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Ann & Robert H. Lurie Kid’s Hospital of Chicago