Eosinophilic esophagitis: Examining the impact of disease

Background:

Eosinophilic esophagitis (EoE) is an increasingly common allergic and gastrointestinal condition affecting both children and adults. The objective of this review was to summarize the existing literature on the impact of EoE on quality of life, physical well-being, psychosocial functioning, and healthcare utilization.

Methods:

Literature searches were performed using PubMed. Keyword combinations included those representing eosinophilic esophagitis and quality of life (QOL), anxiety, depression, sleep disturbance, financial impact, and healthcare utilization.

Results:

EoE impacts multiple facets of patients’ lives, and this does not always correlate with endoscopic and histologic findings. QOL appears to be significantly associated with symptom burden, which can be influenced by symptom-specific anxiety and esophageal hypervigiliance. Patients with EoE also have increased health-care costs, which are primarily due to provider visits, diagnostic procedures, medications, disease complications, and “hidden costs.”

Conclusion:

Providers caring for patients with EoE should be aware of the complex interplay between the emotional, mental, social, and financial impacts of this disease and consider them carefully during shared decision-making.