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Genetic Analysis of Twins with Eosinophilic Esophagitis
Eosinphilic esophagitis (EE) is an allergic disorder that occurs in the esophagus (the tube that carries food from the mouth to the stomach). Symptoms of EE are different depending on age, but the most prevalent are reflux, difficulty swallowing, food impactions, nausea, abdominal pain, poor weight gain, vomiting, and poor appetite. Treatment options range from a restricted diet to the use of a swallowed steroid.
EE can occur in multiple members of families. Prior studies have shown that twins have a great risk of co-developing EE if one twin already suffers from the disorder. This serves as a rationale to conduct further research on siblings and twins with EE.
The Cincinnati Center for Eosinophilic Disorders (CCED) at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center is a multi-disciplined team that provides leading, specialized care for eosinophilic patients and is conducting research on this problem. For a study on the occurrence of EE in twins and multiples, CCED is seeking participants from around the country. Participation, which is conducted through the mail, involves filling out a questionnaire and providing saliva samples. The only inclusion criterion is to be a twin with a diagnosis of EE. CCED will require a pathologist’s confirmation of the diagnosis, either by a review of slides or a pathology report.