Low Prevalence of Biopsy-Proven Eosinophilic Esophagitis in Patients with Esophageal Food Impaction in Mexican Population.

BACKGROUND: Eosinophilic esophagitis (EoE) is the most common cause of dysphagia and esophageal food impaction (EFI) in the USA, Western Europe, and Australia. In Mexico, the uncomplicated form of this disease is infrequent, and prevalence in patients with EFI is unknown.

AIMS: To determine the prevalence and causes of EFI, endoscopic and therapeutic aspects, and establish the prevalence of biopsy-proven EoE in patients with EFI.

METHODS: Diagnostic upper gastrointestinal endoscopy reports from January 2011 to December 2016 were retrospectively reviewed. Patients with therapeutic procedures, gastrointestinal hemorrhage, or non-food foreign body impaction were excluded. The number of patients with EFI was determined. Additionally, patients with esophageal biopsy were retained for EoE prevalence calculation. The diagnosis of EoE was defined with the presence of eosinophil infiltration count ≥ 15/high-power field with or without typical endoscopic abnormalities.

RESULTS: A total of 4700 reports of the same number of patients were selected; 2209 were males (47%) with a mean age of 57.6 ± 12.3 years (range 14-93). We identified 36 patients with EFI (0.76, 95% CI 0.51-1.01), 16 males (44.4%) with a mean age of 54.9 ± 19.7 (range 22-92). Esophageal biopsies were obtained in 17/36 (47.2%) cases. The diagnosis of EoE was confirmed in 2 patients (11.7%). Peptic stenosis was the most frequent cause of EFI.

CONCLUSIONS: EoE is an infrequent cause of EFI in the Mexican population (11.7%). EoE had the lowest prevalence compared to that reported in Caucasian populations. The prevalence of EFI was also low.