In the past, there have been a few case reports and other studies which theorized a potential link between eosinophilic conditions, such as eosinophilic esophagitis (EoE), and Celiac disease, a chronic digestive and autoimmune disorder. According to the American Journal of Managed Care (AJMC), more recent research sought to understand whether such a connection exists.
The study sources observational data over an 11-year period. Eventually, it concludes that there are no clinical implications concretely associating EoE and Celiac disease. To take a look at these findings, you may search Nutrients.
About the Research
Within this particular study, researchers wanted to understand:
- Whether EoE and Celiac disease were related
- What the prevalence of EoE was in pediatric patients who had already been diagnosed with Celiac disease
During the course of the study, researchers sourced esophageal biopsies from children who had endoscopies performed on them. Altogether, the study included 465 pediatric patients with Celiac disease. From these patients, the researchers were able to source 313 biopsies for review. Findings included:
- A majority (93%) of biopsies showed the presence of no eosinophils in those with Celiac disease. The remainder had mild-to-moderate eosinophil presence.
- Only 1.6% of biopsies showed the presence of moderate-to-severe eosinophil presence, but only 1 patient out of everyone was actually diagnosed with EoE.
- Patients with Celiac disease were found to be more hypersensitive to allergens.
Despite the fact that there were higher levels of eosinophils in some of the patients, there was little data to highlight a connection between the two conditions.
What is Eosinophilic Esophagitis (EoE)?
Eosinophilic esophagitis (EoE) is a chronic allergic disorder which affects the esophagus. In EoE, large amounts of a white blood cell called eosinophils collect in the esophagus. Typically, these eosinophils collect due to immune hypersensitivity, environmental allergens, or even food allergies. Eosinophils normally play a role in immune response. But when too many eosinophils accumulate in the esophagus, it causes inflammation and related symptoms. Symptoms of this condition include:
- Nausea and vomiting
- Appetite loss
- Abdominal pain
- Unintended weight loss
- Difficulty swallowing
- Food impaction
- Higher risk of conditions like asthma or eczema
- Malnutrition
- Failure to thrive
