Overlap of symptoms in eosinophilic esophagitis and other conditions such as gastroesophageal reflux disease can make careful and accurate diagnosis of EoE challenging for clinicians. But timely, accurate diagnosis of EoE is crucial so that patients can benefit from available therapeutic options.
When managing patients who present with esophageal eosinophilia, “we need to make sure it is eosinophilic esophagitis and not another cause,” such as GERD, stressed Bryan Sauer, MD, MSc, the founder and co-director of the University of Virginia’s Adult Multidisciplinary EoE Program, in Charlottesville.
Compared with people who have GERD, those with EoE are younger, are more likely to have atopic diseases, and commonly have symptoms of dysphagia, Dr. Sauer said in a presentation offering guidance on EoE management at ACG 2025 (symposium 3C). Patients with EoE also are more likely to have esophageal plaques or furrows and less likely to have features common to GERD, such as esophagitis and a hiatal hernia, he noted.