Esenophilic Esophagitis

[mama2two]

we believe my husband has celiac disease, and several months back he had an EGD done, for reflux I think, I forgot why, and the doc said he had esenophilic esophagitis, he said this is common in patients with allergies, and gave him an inhaled steroid to swallow. I was just wondering if this is could be something related to celiac, and if anyone else has had issues with this.?

[happygirl]

there have been a few discussions on this...im not sure if any of the people whose kids have it are still around. hopefully, they'll post. do a search, you should find something, if no one is around.

also check out www.apfed.org...its the best resource out there for EE disorders.

[JenKuz]

I had eosinophils in the large bowel. I did some investigating and found some literature that suggested that eosinophilia can be mediated by IgA. Ordinarily, eosinophilia is associated with "genuine" allergic responses, wchich, by definition, are mediated by IgE resulting in histamine release from basophils and mast cells. Eosinophils relaease "granules" that mediate inflammation.

Eosinophils have receptors for different antibodies (the antibodies sort of tell them what to do, when). When bound in a certain way, they release histamine. They have the most receptors for IgE but also have receptors for IgA. Because they are evolutionarily involved in mechanisms to fight intestinal parasites, it makes sense that they would communicate well with the primary antibody made in the gut.

How the eosinophils get called to the esophagus or gut in high numbers is an open question....My guess is that given the inflammation in the gut from celiac autoimmunity, otherwise-harmless immune cells for food-related potential antigens are "primed' to attack where they wouldn't have before. So new ("genuine") allergies develop.

Anyhow, once they're there, they can bind to IgE *or* IgA, release inflammatory proteins, and generally makes things uncomfortable.

[chrissy]

it could be related to celiac, and it could be a totally separate issue. it could even be the cause of the symptoms that make you think your husband has celiac. (what are his symptoms, anyway)

[mama2two]

it could be related to celiac, and it could be a totally separate issue. it could even be the cause of the symptoms that make you think your husband has celiac. (what are his symptoms, anyway)

his symptoms are many years of having a "bad stomach" most recently he has had stomach pain, diarrhea, which have both improved when he stays gluten-free. a while back he was eating oatmeal every morning for breakfast and after a couple weeks of this everyday around 1pm he would be bloated and have diarrhea, he thought he had become allergic to it, he does have many allergies. It was not until my daughter started having her own gi problems that we even thought of celiac in him.

[happygirl]

he could have EE, not have celiac, and one of his triggers could be gluten products.

or, he could have Celiac and EE, and gluten could/could not be one of his trigger probems for EE (but obviously is for Celiac).