Adults with eosinophilic oesophagitis identify symptoms and quality of life as the most important outcomes

• Published in: Alimentary pharmacology & therapeutics 2018-11, Vol.48 (10), p.1082-1090
• Main Authors: Safroneeva, Ekaterina, Balsiger, Lukas, Hafner, David, Kuehni, Claudia E., Zwahlen, Marcel, Trelle, Sven, Godat, Sébastien, Biedermann, Luc, Greuter, Thomas, Vavricka, Stephan, Straumann, Alex, Schoepfer, Alain M.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Biological activity; Disease control; Esophagitis; Fibrosis; Inflammation; Leukocytes (eosinophilic); Medical personnel; Patients; Quality of life; Remission; Stenosis; Stricture
• ISSN: 0269-2813; 1365-2036
• DOI: 10.1111/apt.15000

Summary Background Well informed patients who are in cohesive partnership with physicians and who have realistic expectations towards therapy are more likely to be adherent, which results in better disease control. Aim To assess which therapy goals adults with eosinophilic oesophagitis consider relevant. Methods Following refinement during three focus groups, a study brochure and questionnaire were sent to 148 patients. Patients ranked the importance (five levels) of short‐term (in the next 3 months) and long‐term (≥1 year) treatment effect on symptoms, quality of life (QoL), histologically‐detected inflammation and fibrosis, endoscopically‐detected inflammation, and stricture formation as well as achieving histological remission while asymptomatic. Patients’ characteristics associated with treatment goals were identified using logistic regression. Results Of 109 respondents (mean age 43 years), 85 were men. Over 90% chose symptoms and QoL improvement as important short‐ and long‐term therapy goals. A greater proportion attributed more importance to long‐term reduction in endoscopic (90% vs 73%, P