Practical management of eosinophilic esophagitis.

CME EDUCATIONAL OBJECTIVES 1. Determine the clinical presentation and diagnostic criteria for eosinophilic esophagitis in children. 2. Discuss the three major treatment strategies for eosinophilic esophagitis. 3. Provide key strategies for practical identification and management of eosinophilic esophagitis in children and adolescents. Eosinophilic esophagitis (EoE) is a recently discovered disease that affects patients worldwide. The conceptual definition of EoE is a chronic, immune/antigen-mediated esophageal disease characterized clinically by symptoms related to esophageal dysfunction and histologically by eosinophil-predominant inflammation. As a chronic, antigen-mediated disease causing eosinophilic inflammation in the esophagus, EoE symptoms are similar to gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) and it results in significant morbidity.