Knowledge and practice regarding eosinophilic gastrointestinal disorders other than eosinophilic esophagitis among pediatric gastroenterologists of the Latin American Society for Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology, and Nutrition.

OBJECTIVE

Evaluating clinical practices in the management of non-esophageal eosinophilic gastrointestinal disorders (non-EoE EGIDs) among pediatric gastroenterologists in Latin America.

METHODS

A cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted using a survey distributed via the REDCap platform. A total of 309 pediatric gastroenterologists and trainees from 17 Latin American countries (excluding Nicaragua and Bolivia) participated in the study. Data collection took place between March and May 2024.

RESULTS

Sixty-five percent of respondents reported seeing fewer than five cases per year. Only 17.8% consistently collaborate with allergists. While 92.2% perform biopsies in all segments during endoscopy, just 80.9% send specimens in separate containers. Systematic endoscopic monitoring is carried out by 48.9% of practitioners. Ancillary tests such as fecal calprotectin (10.0%) and peripheral eosinophilia (19.4%) are infrequently used. The most common treatment strategies were proton pump inhibitors (44.4%) and elimination diets (40.1%), with systemic corticosteroids (17.4%), viscous budesonide (16.4%), and biologics (11.1%) being less frequently employed.

CONCLUSIONS

There is considerable variability in clinical practice regarding non-EoE EGIDs across Latin America. These findings underscore the urgent need for consensus-based diagnostic and therapeutic guidelines and highlight the importance of ongoing medical education to improve patient care in this emerging field of pediatric gastroenterology.