Cases of “EoE” have risen significantly in all ages, puzzled doctors search for cause

(COLUMBUS, Ohio) – Cases of a mysterious condition that makes it progressively harder for people to swallow continue to rise in the U.S., confounding doctors who are working to diagnose and treat it.

“It’s called eosinophilic esophagitis, or EoE for short, and though we don’t have a firm handle on just how many people have it yet, the incidence is rising pretty dramatically, no question,” said Dr. Princess Ogbogu, an allergist at The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center. “It can get to the point where it’s very debilitating for some patients,” said Ogbogu.

With EoE, immune cells called eosinophils gather in the esophagus, causing it to gradually swell. Eventually, the esophagus can nearly swell shut and though EoE is not linked directly to food allergies, there is an allergic component to it. “Certainly foods play a role, but we also think there may be environmental triggers, as well,” said Ogbogu.

The condition affects people of all ages and in worst-case scenarios, some patients actually get food lodged in the esophagus and need to have it removed in the emergency department.

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