Clinical manifestations, treatment, and outcomes of children and adolescents with eosinophilic esophagitis

This study aimed to describe the clinical, endoscopic, and histologic characteristics, as well as the response to conventional treatment of pediatric patients with the classical form of eosinophilic esophagitis (EoE). Study of clinical, laboratory, endoscopic, and histologic data and response to conventional treatment of 43 previously followed pediatric patients with the classical form of EoE. A total of 43 patients diagnosed with EoE were included in the study, of which 37 were males (86%), with a mean age of 8.4 years. The most common symptoms were: nausea, vomiting, and abdominal pain (100%) in children younger than 7 years, and loss of appetite (60%), heartburn (52%), and food impaction (48%) in children older than 7 years and adolescents. Regarding the endoscopic findings, 12 (28%) patients had whitish plaques on the esophageal lining, 8 (18.5%) had longitudinal grooves, 2 (4.5%) had concentric rings, 3 (7%) had longitudinal grooves and whitish plaques, and the remaining 18 (42%) had esophageal mucosa with normal appearance. Despite the initial favorable response, 76.7% of patients required more than one course of corticosteroid therapy (systemic or aerosol) and diet (exclusion or elimination of food or elementary allergens). Persistence of eosinophil infiltration was found in some patients despite favorable clinical response. The classic form of EoE typically shows different symptoms according age range. A significant number of patients required more than one treatment cycle to show clinical remission. Endoscopic and histologic improvement was observed; however, eosinophilic infiltration persisted in some patients. O objetivo deste estudo foi descrever as características clínicas, endoscópicas e histológicas, assim como a resposta ao tratamento convencional de pacientes pediá- tricos com a forma clássica de esofagite eosinofílica (EEo). Levantamento de dados clínicos, laboratoriais, endoscópicos, histológicos e da resposta ao tratamento convencional de 43 pacientes pediátricos acompanhados previa- mente com a forma clássica de EEo. Foram incluídos 43 pacientes com diagnóstico de EEo, sendo 37 do sexo masculino (86%), com idade média de 8,4 anos. Os sintomas mais encontrados foram: náusea, vômito e dor abdominal (100%) em crianças menores de sete anos; e inapetência (60%), queimação retroesternal (52%) e impactação alimentar (48%) em crianças maiores de sete anos e adolescentes. Em relação aos achados endoscópicos, 12 (28%) pacientes apresentavam plac