Increased Prevalence of Eosinophilic Esophagitis in Patients With Chronic Rhinosinusitis

Abstract

Background

Chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS) and eosinophilic esophagitis (EoE) are immune-mediated inflammatory conditions that share common histopathologic features. Once considered two separate pathologies, preliminary data has suggested that a higher prevalence of EoE may exist in patients with CRS.

Objectives

We aimed to expand the base of evidence across geographic regions and investigate the association between EoE and CRS, including CRS with nasal polyposis (CRSwNP).

Methods

Quantitative data detailing the prevalence of CRS, CRSwNP, and EoE were pooled from 6 large academic institutions spread across the United States using Epic electronic medical record system. One-way analysis of variance was then used to analyze the data.

Results

The mean prevalence of EoE in our general population sample of over 26 million individual records was 0.058% (range, 0.013%-0.103%). The mean prevalence of EoE in our sub-populations of individual with diagnoses of CRS and CRSwNP was 0.43% (F(1,12) = [8.194], P = .01) and 0.84% (F(1,12) = [23.61], P < .01) respectively.

Conclusion

This study reveals an 8-fold greater prevalence of concurrent EoE in patients with CRS. Importantly, this is the first study to describe the association of EoE and the CRSwNP subtype, and we demonstrate a 14-fold greater prevalence of EoE in patients with CRSwNP.

Keywords

chronic rhinosinusitis rhinitis sinusitis nasal polyposis eosinophilic esophagitis nasal obstruction rhinorrhea post-nasal drip Th2-mediated inflammation immune-mediated inflammation

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