About 12,000 Australians are living with eosinophilic gastrointestinal disorders (EGIDs), including eosinophilic oesophagitis (EoE), according to data from the ausEE Inc., a registered charity organisation in Australia representing people who have been diagnosed with such rare conditions. Be one with them in raising awareness and funds to find a cure in National EOS Awareness Week 2021.
What is National EOS Awareness Week?
The ausEE Inc. created the National Eosinophil Awareness Week in 2009 to educate the general public about the effects of eosinophilic gastrointestinal disorders on the physical, mental, emotional and social wellbeing of children and adults who are living with such conditions. From the 8th to 14th August, you can contribute to information dissemination by engaging in or spearheading discussions on the primary causes and symptoms of EGIDs, as well as how these are diagnosed and managed, through various social media channels.
You can also start a fundraiser on Facebook to support and fund research for an effective cure and improve the lives of patients with EGIDs, eosinophilic diseases and other eosinophil-associated diseases. An EGID occurs when high levels of eosinophils, a type of white blood cell formed in the bone marrow, infiltrates one or more areas of the gastrointestinal tract, which can be anywhere between the esophagus and rectum. On the other hand, eosinophilic diseases are characterised by high amounts of eosinophils in different parts of the body.
What are Common Symptoms of EGIDs?
An EGID is a chronic disease that affects people of all ages, but a population-based study shows that 75% of patients belong to the male population. Eosinophilic gastrointestinal disorders, particularly EoE, are often difficult to diagnose as they mimic other gastrointestinal symptoms such as gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) and inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Eosinophilic colitis manifests the same clinical symptoms as ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease.
Depending on the gastrointestinal disorder that a person is suffering from, the following symptoms may be exhibited:
Abdominal pain- Chest pain
- Nausea
- Difficulty swallowing
- Reflux
- Vomiting
- Poor growth
- Bloody stools
- Oedema
- Diarrhoea
What are Common EGIDs?
Eosinophil-associated gastrointestinal disorders are identified based on which part of the digestive system has excessive amounts of eosinophils. For instance, eosinophilic gastroenteritis refers to high levels of eosinophils in the stomach and small intestine. Colonic eosinophilia is the case if there are high amounts of eosinophils in the colon, while patients with EoE suffer inflammation of the esophagus due to high amounts of the white blood cell in this area.
Who is at Risk of Developing EGIDs?
Because EGIDs are very rare, participating in National EOS Awareness Week 2021 is important to avoid confusing an EGID with another gastrointestinal disorder and receiving the wrong treatment. Medical professionals, natural health practitioners and the general public will surely benefit from the loads of information they can get from this week-long event, which focus on the facts about each type of eosinophil-related gastrointestinal disease and their risk factors.
Research shows that people with allergic disorders like food allergies or an autoimmune disease, such as eczema, have an increased risk of developing EGIDs. However, some medical studies have shown that anyone regardless of age can acquire certain types of eosinophilic disorders, while others are only common in adults. According to the Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, while eosinophilic colitis can be developed at any age, it often presents in the first six months of life. On the other hand, esophagitis in adults is more commonplace than it is in children.
Protein-losing enteropathy, which happens when protein leaks into the digestive tract, is a secondary condition which may develop from an eosinophilic gastrointestinal disease.
How Are These Conditions Diagnosed and Treated?
The diagnosis of EGIDs usually involves a thorough health assessment and review of the patient's medical history. A eosinophil count test is also used to determine whether or not they have a reasonable amount of eosinophils in their blood. However, this type of blood test alone cannot tell if the gastrointestinal tract is suffering from an intestinal eosinophilia disease or something else.
It's only by examining biopsy specimens through endoscopy or colonoscopy that a doctor can determine the presence of tissue eosinophilia or inflammation in the gut of patients with EGIDs. Some patients manifest symptoms of peripheral eosinophilia, which is linked to an atopic disease rather than eosinophil-associated gastrointestinal disorders. Children are referred to the hospital's department of pediatrics first to undergo other diagnostic procedures to rule out other potential health conditions.
The treatment of EoE will depend on the clinical symptoms of the patient, although significant histological remissions in patients with EoE were seen after initial treatments with systemic steroids and swallowed topical corticosteroids. Systemic corticosteroids can be administered orally or by injection. However, they're not the best treatment option as prolonged use of these medications can cause adverse effects such as weight gain, muscle weakness, blurred vision and a compromised immune system.
Elimination diets are commonly recommended by doctors, especially to people with allergic diseases, to prevent food allergens that may be triggering their condition. While food elimination diets can help reduce bloody stools, abdominal pain, food impaction and other clinical manifestations of EGIDs, it often results in nutritional deficiencies.
Simply put, topical steroids, systemic corticosteroids and dietary elimination, among other treatment methods, can only guarantee short-term remission in patients but leave behind numerous side effects. Your participation in National EOS Awareness Week 2021 may lead to better if not more effective treatment modalities that can exceed the effects of initial treatments that patients currently have to put up with. You may also consult a natural health practitioner in your local area to find out what complementary medicines can help regulate your white blood cells and maintain gut health.
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