Clinical Implications of Endoscopically Suspected Eosinophilic Esophagitis

BACKGROUND/AIMS: We aimed to determine the concordance rate and clinical predictors of eosinophilic esophagitis (EoE) in patients with endoscopically suspected eosinophilic esophagitis (ESEoE) findings. METHODS: From June 2006 to December 2009 in Gangnam Severance Hospital, we prospectively enrolled the patients of "endoscopically suspected eosinophilic esophagitis (ESEoE)", and then we retrospectively reviewed and analyzed clinical features and endoscopic findings. RESULTS: We found 17 patients of ESEoE, and 5 of them were finally confirmed as an EoE by histology (diagnostic concordance rate 29.4%). We added two more patients previously diagnosed as EoE and compared patients of EoE+ (n=7) with EoE- (n=12). Mean age was 56.0 (range 36-70) and 51.0 (range 36-68) years old, respectively. In EoE+ group, there were 5 males and 2 females and 6 males and 6 females in EoE- group. The symptoms of EoE+ patients were dysphagia (n=5), food impaction (n=3), foreign body sensation in esophagus (n=2), chest pain (n=1), and heartburn (n=1). EoE- patients complained food impaction (n=5), heartburn (n=4), chest pain (n=2), foreign body sensation in esophagus (n=2), and dysphagia (n=1). The endoscopic findings of EoE+ patients were furrows (n=6), rings (n=5), exudates or nodules (n=3), and friability (n=1). EoE- patients showed rings (n=10) and furrows(n=7). Univariative analysis showed that 'a symptom of dysphagia', 'presence of exudates or nodules', 'more than 2 suggestive endoscopic findings' were significantly different between two groups. CONCLUSIONS: In ESEoE, diagnostic concordance rate was 29.4%. In addition, 'symptom of dysphagia', 'exudates or nodules', '> or =2 endoscopic findings' are more suggestive of EoE in ESEoE patientsope

A Case of Cephalosporin-induced DRESS (Drug Rash with Eosinophilia and Systemic Symptoms) Syndrome with Acute Renal Failure

Drug rash with eosinophilia and systemic symptoms (DRESS) syndrome, a kind of hypersensitivity syndrome, is a life-threatening condition with various clinical manifestations such as fever, skin rash, lymph node enlargement and internal organ involvement. We report a case of skin rash and eosinophilia followed by acute renal failure and mild hepatitis after cephalosporin administration.ope

Magnet Compression Anastomosis for Bilioenteric Anastomotic Stricture after Removal of a Choledochal Cyst: A Case Report

Magnet compression anastomosis is a nonsurgical method that uses two magnets to treat bilio-biliary and bilio-enteric anastomotic strictures after a living donor transplantation. The compression pressure of the two magnets induces ischemic necrosis at the anastomostic stricture and creates a fistula at the stricture site. A choledochal cyst is an uncommon congenital anomaly characterized by dilatation of the biliary tree and can cause obstructive jaundice, cholangitis, biliary stones, and cholangiocelluar carcinoma. Treatment for choledochal cyst is essentially surgical including total excision of the cyst with hepaticoenterostomy, but there can be complications such as postoperative intrahepatic stones and recurrent cholangitis due to a stricture at the site of the anastomosis. Endoscopic and fluoroscopy-guided radiologic interventions can be applied to resolve the anastomotic stricture, and re-operation is possible as the method of last resort. We report here a first case, trial magnet compression anastomosis in Korea of a bilioenteric anastomotic stricture after excision of a choledochal cyst and hepaticojejunostomy.ope