Research Roundup, January 2025
January 27, 2025

This blog post is a research roundup of recent publications on eosinophilic diseases, including summaries, links, and citations for the following articles:
Longer-Term Biologic Use to Treat Severe Asthma/Eosinophilic Asthma
Doctors studied how well biologics work for people with severe asthma. They looked at 611 patients who used these medicines for at least a year. Almost half of the patients (46%) had their asthma get much better at some point during the study. This means they didn’t have any bad asthma attacks, didn’t need strong steroid medicines, and felt their breathing was under control. The longer patients used the biologics, the more likely they were to feel better. After 4 years of treatment, about 1 in 3 patients had their asthma well controlled.
On-treatment clinical remission of severe asthma with real-world longer-term biologic use. Chipps, Bradley E. et al. Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology: Global, Volume 4, Issue 1, 100365
Does Esophageal Dilation Impact Efficacy of Budesonide to Treat EoE?
Researchers studied how well budesonide oral suspension (BOS) works for people with EoE. Some patients with EoE have had esophageal dilation (stretching their esophagus to improve swallowing). The study looked at how BOS worked for those who had a previous esophageal dilation compared to those who have not had a dilation. They found that BOS helped reduce inflammation in the esophagus for both groups. However, people who had their esophagus stretched before didn’t feel as much improvement in swallowing as those who never had it stretched. This study helps doctors understand that a patient’s history of esophagus stretching might affect how they respond to this new medicine for EoE.
Hirano, Ikuo MD (posthumous)1; Collins, Margaret H. MD2; Katzka, David A. MD, FACG3; Mukkada, Vincent A. MD4; Falk, Gary W. MD, MS5; Terreri, Brian PharmD, MBA6; Boules, Mena MD6; Zhang, Wenwen PhD7; Desai, Nirav K. MD7; Dellon, Evan S. MD, MPH, FACG8. Effect of Esophageal Dilation History on Efficacy Outcomes in Patients With Eosinophilic Esophagitis Receiving Budesonide Oral Suspension. The American Journal of Gastroenterology ():10.14309/ajg.0000000000003197, November 12, 2024. | DOI: 10.14309/ajg.0000000000003197
Understanding Fibroblasts and Their Impact on the Esophagus
Researchers studied how EoE affects special cells called fibroblasts. These cells help heal and repair tissues. The study found that fibroblasts in people with EoE behave differently than normal. They tend to make the esophagus more rigid, similar to cartilage tissue. Instead of creating soft, flexible cells, these fibroblasts become more stiff and structured. They also move around more aggressively within the esophagus. Another key finding was that these cells have less of a specific protein on their surface, which disrupts their normal healing process. These changes make it harder for the esophagus to heal properly. The researchers discovered that adding a substance called adenosine could help fix some of these problematic cell behaviors. This study helps doctors understand why EoE causes long-term damage to the esophagus and suggests new ways to treat it.
Eosinophilic esophagitis drives tissue fibroblast regenerative programs toward pathologic dysfunction. Jumabay, Medet et al. Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, Articles in Press
Men Face More Challenges with EoE: New Study Reveals Gender Differences
Researchers studied how eosinophilic esophagitis (EoE), a condition that causes inflammation in the esophagus, affects men and women differently. They looked at hospital records of nearly 22,000 patients with EoE from 2016 to 2020.The study found that men with EoE have more problems than women. Men were more likely to have their esophagus blocked, get food stuck, or have their esophagus tear. This was especially true for men aged 25-29. Women with EoE had fewer complications, but those aged 75-79 were more likely to have food get stuck. Interestingly, more black women had EoE compared to black men, but black men still had more complications. The researchers also noticed that men were most likely to have serious problems with their esophagus in March. This study helps doctors understand that EoE affects men and women differently, which could lead to better ways of treating patients based on their gender and age.
Patel H, Elmer J, Liaquat H. Exploring the impact of gender on the characteristics and complications of eosinophilic esophagitis. JGH Open. 2024;8(12):e70059. doi:10.1002/jgh3.70059