The Clinical Characteristics and Treatment Outcomes of Concomitant Eosinophilic Esophagitis and Inflammatory Bowel Disease

Background: The clinical characteristics and treatment outcomes in patients with eosinophilic esophagitis (EoE) and inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) have not been extensively investigated. Methods: We determined treatment outcomes and frequencies of disease-related complications in patients with EoE and IBD. Results: Among 69 patients who met inclusion criteria, 39 (56.5%) had a diagnosis of Crohn disease. Clinical and histologic response rates to proton pump inhibitors and topical steroids were 25.9% and 24.4%, respectively. Conclusions: Lower than expected clinical and histologic response rates for EoE suggest the combination of EoE and IBD is a medically refractory phenotype with more difficult to treat EoE. Lay Summary The clinical and microscopic tissue response rates of eosinophilic esophagitis (EoE) in this group appeared lower than what we would anticipate, perhaps suggesting EoE is more difficult to treat when patients have both EoE and inflammatory bowel disease combined.