What are Eosinophilic Gastrointestinal Diseases (EGIDs)?
EGIDs occur when eosinophils (pronounced ee-oh-sin-oh-fills), a type of white blood cell, are found in above-normal amounts within the gastrointestinal tract.
Eosinophilic oesophagitis (EoE) is the most common EGID and the current estimated prevalence is 1 in 1,000-2,000 people and rising.
Symptoms vary from one individual to the next and can include: feeding difficulty, poor appetite, difficulty swallowing, nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, failure to thrive and food impaction. One treatment option of EoE is an elemental diet which consists of only a special medical food called an elemental formula, which contains amino acids (the building blocks of proteins), fats, sugars, vitamins and minerals. They provide all the nutrition a person needs if enough is taken. Some individuals need a feeding tube to ensure they are getting enough of the formula or to give the oesophagus a rest or for patients with failure to thrive. Endoscopy with biopsies is the only way to confirm the diagnosis of an EGID at present. The diagnosis cannot be based upon symptoms alone.
Download our EGID Fact Sheet for more information on EGIDs.