Clinical effects of eosinophilic esophagitis observed using endoscopic ultrasound

A 50-year-old woman was referred to our hospital for dysphagia and several episodes of esophageal food impaction during the prior three months. Complete blood count and basic biochemical tests were normal. No eosinophilia was found. Esophagogastroduodenoscopy (EGD) revealed the presence of concentric rings (esophageal “trachealization”) and stenosis along the middle and distal esophagus. Endoscopic ultrasound (EUS) showed circumferential thickening of all layers in the same part. Cytopathologic evaluation of a specimen obtained by endoscopic biopsy of the thickened area in the distal esophagus showed eosinophilic infiltration (20 eosinophils per high-powered field). She was diagnosed as having eosinophilic esophagitis (EoE). Topical steroid therapy was started. A tendency of dysphagia for relief and improvement of characteristic EGD findings began early, but wall thickening in EUS remained. Past reports of the related literature have described that thickness of submucosa and muscularis propria remained after therapy, although significant reduction in the mucosal thickness was provided by short-term steroid therapy. One explanation for early relapse is insufficient reduction in the submucosa and muscularis propria. Consequently, our patient was given steroids until thickness on EUS improved. EUS is regarded as useful for evaluating the curative effect in patients with EoE.