Dysphagia is the hallmark of eosinophilic esophagitis, but no validated dysphagia instruments in this population exist.
Dr Dellong and colleagues from North Carolina, USA developed, and field tested a patient-reported outcome for dysphagia in subjects with eosinophilic esophagitis.
The research team performed a multi-center/multi-phase prospective study.
During the first phase, the team developed a dysphagia questionnaire using qualitative methods.
The second phase was a 30-day field trial to test the instrument, and assess content validity.
|The median number of dysphagia days per week was 2 for adolescents |
|Alimentary Pharmacology & Therapeutics|
Adolescents and adults with eosinophilic esophagitis, active symptoms of dysphagia and esophageal eosinophilia were enrolled.
Solid-food-avoidance days, dysphagia days and actions taken to get relief were recorded.
The researchers calculated a dysphagia score, compared to the Straumann Dysphagia Instrument.
The doctors analyzed 10 adolescents and 10 adults that were included in the first phase.
The team developed the Dysphagia Symptom Questionnaire, a 3-item daily electronic diary.
In the second phase, 35 subjects finished the field trial.
The median number of dysphagia days per week was 2 for adolescents vs 4 for adults, and 2 for those on topical steroids vs 4 for those not on topical steroids.
The Dysphagia Symptom Questionnaire score strongly correlated with the number of dysphagia days and the Straumann Dysphagia Instrument.
Dr Dellong's team concludes, "The Dysphagia Symptom Questionnaire, a 3-question patient-reported outcome, was successfully developed and field tested."
"The Dysphagia Symptom Questionnaire had content validity and the score accurately measured dysphagia frequency and intensity."
"The Dysphagia Symptom Questionnaire is suitable for use in clinical trials of eosinophilic esophagitis patients with dysphagia."