title: Accuracy of liquid cytology in the diagnosis and monitoring of eosinophilic oesophagitis.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Oesophagoscopy with biopsy is considered the gold standard for diagnosing and monitoring eosinophilic oesophagitis (EoE). Therefore is important to discover less-invasive diagnostic methods.
  
  
  METHODS
  Cytology specimens were obtained in patients with active EoE (AEoE) (≥15 eos/hpf) and EoE in remission (EoER) (<15 eos/hpf). The samples were assessed by two independent pathologists and were compared with biopsy samples. EoE cytology specimens were compared with specimens obtained from patients with GERD.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Specimens of 36 patients (69.4% male, mean age 30.88 years) were included. AEoE (17, 47.2%), EoER (11, 30.5%) and GERD (22.2%). eos/hpf in cytology (AEoE 9.23 vs. EoER 1.54 vs. GERD 2, p = 0.01). Linear correlation between eos/hpf average biopsy and cytology eos/hpf: r = 0.57, p < 0.001. For diagnosis of EoE ≥3 eos/hpf in cytology obtained a sensitivity of 70%, specificity 81%, PPV 86% and NPV 60% (AUC = 0.81, p = 0.01). For detection of AEoE, ≥3 eos/hpf in LBC obtained a sensitivity of 70%, specificity 82%, PPV 81% and NPV 66% (AUC = 0.87, p = 0.001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  LBC in oesophageal aspirate seems to be effective for the diagnosis and monitoring activity in EoE. These results support the usefulness of non-invasive methods for the diagnosis and monitoring of EoE.
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterology, Hospital General Universitario de Ciudad Real, Spain.
authors.forename: Joaquín
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Rodríguez-Sánchez
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Hospital de Jerez de la Frontera, Spain.
authors.forename: Marcial
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: García Rojo
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterology, Hospital General Universitario de Ciudad Real, Spain.
authors.forename: Bartolomé
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: López Viedma
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterology, Hospital General Universitario de Ciudad Real, Spain.
authors.forename: Eva
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: de la Santa Belda
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterology, Hospital General Universitario de Ciudad Real, Spain.
authors.forename: Pilar Olivencia
authors.initials: PO
authors.lastname: Palomar
authors.affiliation: Department of Allergology, Hospital General Universitario de Ciudad Real, Spain.
authors.forename: Elisa Gómez
authors.initials: EG
authors.lastname: Torrijos
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Hospital General Universitario de Ciudad Real, Ciudad Real, Spain.
authors.forename: Lucia González
authors.initials: LG
authors.lastname: López
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterology, Hospital General Universitario de Ciudad Real, Spain.
authors.forename: José Olmedo
authors.initials: JO
authors.lastname: Camacho
keywords: Cytosponge; Eosinophilic esophagitis; GERD; cytology; eosinophil