Evidence map›Paper›PMID 39898010›Full record

ArticleInflammatory intestinal diseases

Swallowed Topical Tacrolimus Induces Clinical and Histological Remission in a Subset of Patients with Severe Lymphocytic Esophagitis.

Alain Schoepfer, Sofia Asikainen, Luc Biedermann, Andrea Kreienbuehl, Anne Godat, Corina Dommann, Alex Straumann, Thomas Greuter

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Inflammatory intestinal diseases. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed, 1 pooled it
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it.

  1. A systematic review of therapeutic options for lymphocytic esophagitis.Diseases of the esophagus : official journal of the International Society for Diseases of the Esophagus · 2025
    Pooled it
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

8 authors.

Alain SchoepferDivision of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, CHUV University Hospital Lausanne and University of Lausanne UNIL, Lausanne, Switzerland.
Sofia AsikainenDivision of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, CHUV University Hospital Lausanne and University of Lausanne UNIL, Lausanne, Switzerland.
Luc BiedermannDepartment of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, University Hospital Zurich and University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland.
Andrea KreienbuehlDepartment of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, University Hospital Zurich and University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland.
Anne GodatDivision of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, GZO - Zurich Regional Health Center, Wetzikon, Switzerland.
Corina DommannDepartment of Pathology, Kantonsspital Winterthur, Winterthur, Switzerland.
Alex StraumannDepartment of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, University Hospital Zurich and University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland.
Thomas GreuterDivision of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, CHUV University Hospital Lausanne and University of Lausanne UNIL, Lausanne, Switzerland.

Funding

The Impact of COVID-19 on People Living with Rare Diseases and Their FamiliesU2CTR002818 · NCATS · CINCINNATI CHILDRENS HOSP MED CTR · PI Michal Kouril · 2019 to 2026
$51.2M
TRAINING (CAREER DEVELOPMENT) COMPONENTU54AI117804 · NIAID · CINCINNATI CHILDRENS HOSP MED CTR · PI Nirmala P Gonsalves · 2014 to 2026
$18.5M
NCATS NIH HHS U2C TR002818NIAID NIH HHS U54 AI117804
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Introduction: Lymphocytic esophagitis (LyE) represents a chronic inflammatory disease of the esophagus with low response rates to topical steroids. Thus, novel treatment options such as swallowed topical tacrolimus, particularly for refractory cases, are urgently needed. Methods: We retrospectively analyzed patients with LyE enrolled in the Swiss eosinophilic esophagitis database that received treatment with a swallowed tacrolimus syrup (1 mg bid). We compared clinical (visual analogue scale [VAS] 0-10), endoscopic (VAS, Endoscopic Reference Score [EREFS]), and histological (peak lymphocyte count) disease activity before versus after treatment. Results: Out of 17 LyE patients, we identified a total of 7 patients undergoing tacrolimus treatment (4 males, median age 71.3 years, IQR: 61.3-76.5, median diagnostic delay of 51.0 months, IQR: 24.5-62.0). Six patients had been previously treated with PPI, five with topical and/or systemic steroids. All patients were treated with topical tacrolimus corresponding to 1 mg bid (for a median of 13 weeks, IQR: 11-15). All patients had clinically, and histologically active disease at baseline. Topical tacrolimus treatment resulted in histological remission (<30 lymphocytes/hpf) in 3/7 patients (42.9%), while 4/7 patients achieved symptomatic remission (VAS for dysphagia ≤2, 57.1%). Overall, clinical (VAS 5 vs. 2, Conclusion: Topical tacrolimus appears to be a potential treatment option for severe LyE, particularly after failure of PPI and/or topical steroids. Further studies are needed, in particular regarding the optimal galenic formulation to avoid systemic absorption.

Indexed as

Eosinophilic esophagitis variantsHistological remissionLymphocytic esophagitisTacrolimusTopical treatment

Identifiers

PMID39898010
PMCPMC11785400

What OpenQuestion holds

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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.