Lymphocytic Esophagitis

Definition

Lymphocytic esophagitis (LE) is defined as a histologic phenotype of esophagitis, which is characterized by an excess of intraepithelial lymphocytes (IELs) in the peripapillary fields, with spongiosis and no or only rare intraepithelial granulocytes. The patients present with chronic dysphagia, odynophagia, and motility disorders.

There have been conflicting studies on the true existence of lymphocytic esophagitis, a condition first described by Rubio et al. in 2006. Controversy still exists over whether LE is a true pathologic entity with a corresponding specific clinical correlate or whether LE is merely a nonspecific histologic finding, eventually representing an extreme in the spectrum of gastroesophageal reflux disease or an involvement in other inflammatory conditions (e.g., Crohn’s disease, celiac disease). In fact, in some cases of histologic diagnosis of LE, there is an associated Crohn’s disease, and this seems to be is a relatively common finding particularly in...