Endoscopic appearance and location dictate diagnostic yield of biopsies in eosinophilic oesophagitis

Abstract

Eosinophilic esophagitis remains a variable disease with some patients manifesting extensive disease throughout the oesophagus. Characteristics of furrows and exudates found during endoscopy are associated with higher peak eosinophil counts, requiring fewer biopsies to make a diagnosis. Lines and otherwise normal appearances of the oesophagus suggest a milder mucosal eosinophilia, requiring substantial biopsies to adequately identify fields with diagnostic eosinophil counts.