Background: We have previously reported the prevalence of eosinophilic esophagitis (EoE), in the pediatric intestinal transplant population: from 2003-2012, the intestinal transplant institute at Medstar Georgetown University Hospital (MGUH reported a prevalence of EoE in children after transplant of 32% (21 of 66) as compared to community data showing a prevalence of 3.7% at the time. In view of the high prevalence in this transplant group we evaluated the subsequent cohort of children transplanted from 2013-2020.
Methods: A retrospective chart review was conducted on patient charts via their electronic health record. All children defined as aged 21 or younger at time of transplant receiving intestinal transplants from MGUH 2013-2020 as well as those who transferred care and are followed by the transplant institute at Georgetown were included. In total 67 patients were reviewed. Using documentation from screening upper endoscopies with biopsies, we contrasted patients having signs of EoE (defined as greater than 15 eosinophils per high power field) with those not meeting criteria. Any patients with a diagnosis of EoE prior to transplant were excluded.
Results: In total 23 of 67 (34%) of patients from 2013-2020 receiving intestinal transplants had findings of EoE in post-transplant endoscopies. The prevalence appears to have remained stable from prior years. Additionally, the interval between transplant surgery to EoE diagnosis was also similar. 3.9 years in the 2003-2012 cohort compared to 3.7 years in 2013-2020.
Conclusion: The prevalence of EoE within intestinal transplant patients remains remarkably high, and while roughly stable, it did increase from 32% to 34% over the 17-year interval at our center.