RationaleEosinophilic esophagitis (EoE) is a clinicopathological condition characterized by the combination of upper gastrointestinal symptoms in association with histological findings of >15 eosinophils/high-powered field found in biopsy specimens. EoE is emerging as an increasingly common cause of esophagitis in children and adults. Little is known about the prevalence of autoimmune conditions in EoE patients and their first-degree relatives (FDR).MethodsUtilizing the Utah Population Database (UPDB), we compared EoE patients and their FDR against the matching controls to evaluate possible links between EoE and studied comorbid diseases. The UPDB is a dynamic resource located at the University of Utah and consists of computerized data records for nearly seven million individuals. Cox proportional hazard model was used for analysis.ResultsUsing Cox Regression analaysis, EoE proband and their FDR both showed highest risk of having Celiac Disease. (n=12,000, OR 10.6, 95% CI (8.1-13.88), p <2e-16; OR 2.66, 95% CI (2.13-3.31), p<2e-16, respectively). In addition, EoE was associated to a lesser degree with having a diagnosis of lymphoma, IgA deficiency, inflammatory bowel disease, lupus, allergic rhinitis, eczema and iron deficiency. It does not appear to be associated with psoriasis, common variable immunodeficiency (CVID), Ehlers-Danlos syndrome, and others.ConclusionsWe believe this to be the first reported analysis showing a high degree of association between Celiac Disease and EoE. In addition, EoE was associated with other immune disorders and allergies. These novel findings illustrate the importance of screening for and counseling about other relevant conditions in patients with EoE and their family members. RationaleEosinophilic esophagitis (EoE) is a clinicopathological condition characterized by the combination of upper gastrointestinal symptoms in association with histological findings of >15 eosinophils/high-powered field found in biopsy specimens. EoE is emerging as an increasingly common cause of esophagitis in children and adults. Little is known about the prevalence of autoimmune conditions in EoE patients and their first-degree relatives (FDR). Eosinophilic esophagitis (EoE) is a clinicopathological condition characterized by the combination of upper gastrointestinal symptoms in association with histological findings of >15 eosinophils/high-powered field found in biopsy specimens. EoE is emerging as an increasingly common cause of esophagitis in children and adults. Little is known about the prevalence of autoimmune conditions in EoE patients and their first-degree relatives (FDR). MethodsUtilizing the Utah Population Database (UPDB), we compared EoE patients and their FDR against the matching controls to evaluate possible links between EoE and studied comorbid diseases. The UPDB is a dynamic resource located at the University of Utah and consists of computerized data records for nearly seven million individuals. Cox proportional hazard model was used for analysis. Utilizing the Utah Population Database (UPDB), we compared EoE patients and their FDR against the matching controls to evaluate possible links between EoE and studied comorbid diseases. The UPDB is a dynamic resource located at the University of Utah and consists of computerized data records for nearly seven million individuals. Cox proportional hazard model was used for analysis. ResultsUsing Cox Regression analaysis, EoE proband and their FDR both showed highest risk of having Celiac Disease. (n=12,000, OR 10.6, 95% CI (8.1-13.88), p <2e-16; OR 2.66, 95% CI (2.13-3.31), p<2e-16, respectively). In addition, EoE was associated to a lesser degree with having a diagnosis of lymphoma, IgA deficiency, inflammatory bowel disease, lupus, allergic rhinitis, eczema and iron deficiency. It does not appear to be associated with psoriasis, common variable immunodeficiency (CVID), Ehlers-Danlos syndrome, and others. Using Cox Regression analaysis, EoE proband and their FDR both showed highest risk of having Celiac Disease. (n=12,000, OR 10.6, 95% CI (8.1-13.88), p <2e-16; OR 2.66, 95% CI (2.13-3.31), p<2e-16, respectively). In addition, EoE was associated to a lesser degree with having a diagnosis of lymphoma, IgA deficiency, inflammatory bowel disease, lupus, allergic rhinitis, eczema and iron deficiency. It does not appear to be associated with psoriasis, common variable immunodeficiency (CVID), Ehlers-Danlos syndrome, and others. ConclusionsWe believe this to be the first reported analysis showing a high degree of association between Celiac Disease and EoE. In addition, EoE was associated with other immune disorders and allergies. These novel findings illustrate the importance of screening for and counseling about other relevant conditions in patients with EoE and their family members. We believe this to be the first reported analysis showing a high degree of association between Celiac Disease and EoE. In addition, EoE was associated with other immune disorders and allergies. These novel findings illustrate the importance of screening for and counseling about other relevant conditions in patients with EoE and their family members.