Monitoring and Modulating the Trajectory of EoE.

Current treatments of eosinophilic esophagitis (EoE) aim to eliminate esophageal mucosal inflammation and attenuate, stabilize, or reverse stricture formation. However, our ability to study the long-term course of esophageal strictures in patients with EoE is hampered by the short-term existence of this disease. t is unclear to what degree of control of inflammation is needed to prevent stricture formation. Additionally, identified phenotypes of EoE, may ultimately dictate different levels of concern and time intervals for developing fibrosis. Currently, multiple methods are used to monitor patients' progression to fibrosis as symptoms alone do not correlate with disease activity. Endoscopic findings and mucosal histology are used to monitor disease activity, but these focus on improvements in inflammation with inconsistent evaluation of underlying fibrosis. The use of functional lumen impedance planimetry, barium esophagraphy, and endoscopic ultrasound continues to expand in EoE. The rapid advancements in EoE have led to an armamentarium of measuring tools and therapies that holistically characterize the disease severity and response to therapy. Nevertheless, our ability to evaluate gross esophageal fibrosis and stricture formation from a transmural rather than mucosal view, should be a focus for future investigations as it is essential to monitoring and modulating the trajectory of EoE.