Lymphocytic Esophagitis

Initially described by Rubio et al in 2006, lymphocytic esophagitis (LE) is a rare subtype of chronic esophagitis with a unique histologic phenotype characterized by increased peripapillary intraepithelial lymphocytes in the absence or minimal presence of intraepithelial granulocytes. The rising incidence of LE is likely secondary to raising awareness of this condition among clinicians and pathologists and the increased frequency of performing esophageal biopsies in the clinical investigation of esophageal dysphagia. The significant efforts of researchers worldwide have led to better characterization of LE's clinical, endoscopic, and histological features.  The clinical presentation of LE is variable and may include dysphagia, dyspepsia, nausea, or chest pain. Frequently diagnosed in older women, LE is associated with a history of tobacco use, gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), and achalasia. This activity reviews the etiology, epidemiology, clinical characteristics, diagnosis, management, and complications of this rare but emerging subtype of chronic esophagitis. It highlights the role of the interprofessional healthcare team in caring for patients with this gastrointestinal disorder.