[Predictive factors of eosinophilic esophagitis in esophageal food bolus impaction].

BACKGROUND

Food bolus esophageal impaction is often the first symptom in patients diagnosed with eosinophilic esophagitis, representing a change in the epidemiology and management of this urgency.

AIM: To detect eosinophilic esophagitis predictive factors in patients with esophageal impaction due to food bolus.

METHODS

Patients seen for foreign body impaction were retrospectively analyzed. Epidemiologic characteristics, endoscopic findings, and impaction history were studied. The statistical analysis was carried out using the Student's t test and the chi square test and a logistic regression model.

RESULTS

Of the 131 patients, 65% were men and the mean age was 56 years. The endoscopic suspicion of eosinophilic esophagitis was the most frequent finding in patients with food bolus impaction (n=89); those patients that did not have histologic confirmation were excluded (n=7). The remaining patients (n=82) were divided into two groups: confirmed eosinophilic esophagitis (Group A) (n=18) and other endoscopic findings (Group B) (n=64). Group A presented with a lower mean age (36.47 vs. 64.45, P=.001) and a more frequent past history of impaction (38% vs. 6%, OR=15.70, 95% CI (3.60-62.50), P=.001) than Group B. Age and impaction history acted as predictors for eosinophilic esophagitis with 82% sensitivity, 80% specificity, and 84% diagnostic accuracy (P<.001).

CONCLUSIONS

Age and a history of impaction predict the presence of eosinophilic esophagitis in patients with food bolus impaction.