Researchers have discovered the prevalence of eosinophilic esophagitis (EoE), a chronic allergic disorder leading to swallowing difficulties due to the accumulation of eosinophils in the esophagus.
A study led by Osaka Metropolitan University in Japan revealed the occurrence of EoE, a chronic allergic disorder affecting the esophagus.
EoE can result in swallowing difficulties as eosinophils, a type of white blood cell, accumulate in the esophagus causing tissue inflammation and fibrosis. While cases of EoE have been on the rise in North America and Western Europe since the 1990s, there has been limited information regarding its prevalence in Asia, particularly Japan.
Dr. Akinari Sawada, Associate Professor Fumio Tanaka, and Professor Yasuhiro Fujiwara from OMU’s Graduate School of Medicine, along with their team, examined a health insurance claims database covering 15,200,895 unidentified individuals, including company employees and their dependents under the age of 75, from January 2005 to September 2022. Among these individuals, 1,010 cases of EoE were identified.
As reported in Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology, the researchers determined the incidence of EoE in 2022 at 2.82 per 100,000 person-years and the prevalence at 10.68 per 100,000 people. In comparison to data from 2017, the incidence had tripled, and the prevalence had increased eightfold.
“From a clinical standpoint, I anticipated an increase in EoE cases in Japan. Through the analysis of extensive data, we have confirmed the actual rise in EoE incidence and prevalence in this study. Our objective is to enhance awareness of EoE in Japan,” stated Dr. Sawada.
