The Prevalence of EoE in Children
- February 28, 2024
Researchers from the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia conducted the largest-ever analysis of pediatric allergies, examining electronic health records of over 200,000 children. The study, published in the Journal of Pediatrics, revealed a significant finding: eosinophilic esophagitis (EoE), a rare food allergy traditionally associated with white males, is more prevalent among non-white individuals than previously recognized. This discovery highlights the substantial impact of allergic conditions on children’s well-being and supports the concept of the “allergic march,” where allergies progress from eczema to food allergies, asthma, and environmental allergies.
Diverging from previous survey-based studies, this research employed electronic health records, providing direct access to data from healthcare providers. Analyzing the Comparative Effectiveness Research through Collaborative Electronic Reporting (CER2) Consortium, the researchers focused on five specific allergic conditions over a span of more than five years (1999-2020), including eczema, anaphylactic food allergies, asthma, allergic rhinitis, and the less-known EoE. Notably, EoE, typically appearing around 35 months of age, displayed a more diverse prevalence than previously believed, with variations based on racial and ethnic backgrounds.
The study highlights the crucial collaboration between healthcare providers and families for precise allergy identification. Dr. Daniel Ganjian, a pediatrician, emphasized the study’s significance in revealing the characteristics of the allergic march in children. Dr. Stephanie Leeds, a pediatric allergist, commended the research’s focus on patterns in pediatric allergy development, potentially enabling earlier diagnosis, personalized treatment plans, and increased public awareness. Despite these insights, the researchers caution that more studies are needed to validate these findings and uncover the underlying causes of allergic diseases.
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