Clinical Trial: The Effect of Sucralfate Slurry in Patients With Eosinophilic Esophagitis

Study Status: Active, not recruiting
Recruit Status: Active, not recruiting
Study Type: Interventional

Official Title: The Effect of Sucralfate Slurry on Dilated Intercellular Spaces, Tight Junctions, Mucosal Impedance and Mucosal Activity in Patients With Eosinophilic Esophagitis

Brief Summary: Could Sucralfate be a non-steriodal treatment option for patients with Eosinophilic esophagitis?

Detailed Summary:

Eosinophilic esophagitis (EoE) is a Th2 type allergy mediated disease that is characterized by dense esophageal eosinophilia in patients with chronic esophageal symptoms. One of the mechanisms of eosinophilic esophagitis is exposure of food antigens to antigen recognition cells in the esophageal mucosa that initiates a chronic allergy-based inflammatory response [1, 2]. It is believed that this exposure is facilitated through dilation of the intercellular spaces (DIS) between esophageal epithelial cells (termed spongiosis). This is substantiated by several studies which have demonstrated that: first, DIS is commonly found in biopsies from patients with active EoE and reverses with steroid therapy [3]; second, DIS correlates to physiologic demonstration of increased esophageal epithelial permeability as shown through transepithelial small molecule flux in mucosal biopsies appraised in Ussing chambers [4], and third, DIS is associated with decreased expression of specific epithelial tight junction proteins such as filaggrin [3]. Thus, a suggested sequence of events in EoE that leads to allergen initiated inflammation includes down regulation of tight junction proteins, dilation of intercellular spaces in the surface epithelium followed by increased permeability and facilitated exposure to food antigens.

Of the present therapies available, topical steroids and in a subset of EoE patients, proton pump inhibitors may improve epithelial permeability. Unfortunately, in the case of proton pump inhibitors, there is early data suggesting that their therapeutic benefit is not sustained. With the use of steroids, there are fears of what the long term side effects of continued use of swallowed steroids might be. The other alternative treatment, diet exclusion therapy is difficult to tailor to the patient and impractical for most adult patients. As a result, alternative treatments are
Sponsor: Mayo Clinic

Current Primary Outcome: The Effectiveness of Sucralfate treatment in patient's with EoE [ Time Frame: 4 weeks ]

• The effect treatment is defined by 50%, 3 of the 6 patients having less < 15 eosinophilia per high power field by in the pathology at the time of follow up endoscopic biopsies.


Original Primary Outcome: Same as current

Current Secondary Outcome: Measuring Mucosal impedance [ Time Frame: 4 weeks ]

Mucosal impedance reflects the ability of electric current to flow between two sensors while in contact with the epithelium. An increase in current flow is presumably due to an increase in ions and water crossing the membrane, which are good conductors of electricity. Through this technique an overall measure of "leakiness" of the esophageal epithelium is obtained. This increased permeability may reflect epithelial destruction as in erosive esophagitis and Eosinophilic esophagitis. The investigators will measure the mucosal impedance at the baseline during the upper endoscopy and at the follow up endoscopy. Comparing these measurement to the eosinophilic count on pathology at baseline and followup.


Original Secondary Outcome: Same as current

Information By: Mayo Clinic

Dates:
Date Received: January 26, 2015
Date Started: January 2015
Date Completion: March 2017
Last Updated: March 15, 2016
Last Verified: March 2016