The Pediatric Eosinophilic Esophagitis (EoE) Symptom Score version 2 (PEESSv2.0) was a validated EoE-specific measure for illness monitoring, however its use outside of EoE had not been investigated. For a study, researchers sought to determine if PEESSv2.0 scores could tell the difference between children with EoE and those who did not have EoE esophageal dysfunction and were having their first esophagogastroduodenoscopy (EGD). Pediatric cohort research was carried out. Children between the ages of 1 and 18 who were having their first EGD for esophageal dysfunction were included in the study. At the time of the EGD, demographics, clinical history, child self-report, and parent-proxy report PEESSv2.0 symptom ratings were obtained. EoE was classified as greater than 15 eosinophils/high powered field (HPF) found in any level of the esophagus based on the analysis of esophageal biopsies. About 15 eosinophils/HPF was considered non-EoE.
From 2015 to 2018, 71 youngsters were studied [59% (42/71) males; mean age 9.2; range 1–17 ]. About 58% (41/71) matched EoE standards, whereas 42% (30/71) were classified as non-EoE. Non-EoE children and parents exhibited higher/worse median PEESSv2.0 total scores than EoE children and parents [47.0 vs 28.0 (P=0.001) and 40.5 vs 26.5 (P=0.012), respectively]. When compared to children with EoE, non-EoE children had higher median GERD [9.0 vs 4.0 (P=0.003)], nausea/vomiting [9.0 vs 4.0 (P=0.003)], and pain [11.0 vs 6.0 (P=0.001) subdomain scores. PEESSv2.0 dysphagia subdomain scores (child and parent-proxy) were not different between EoE and non-EoE groups [22.0 vs 15.0 (P=0.184) and 18.5 vs 17.4 (P=0.330), respectively].
The non-EoE group had lower total PEESSv2.0 scores than the EoE group. Although PEESSv2.0 had been validated for use in monitoring EoE treatment, it did not differentiate between children with EoE and those who did not have EoE at the time of diagnostic EGD.
Reference:journals.lww.com/jpgn/Abstract/2022/03000/Eosinophilic_Esophagitis_Symptom_Scores_Are_High.16.aspx
