DUODENAL eosinophil count was significantly higher in patients with functional dyspepsia than in matched controls, strengthening evidence for low-grade immune activation in the disorder’s pathogenesis.
Functional dyspepsia has a multifactorial pathogenesis, with growing evidence suggesting duodenal eosinophilia contributes to immune activation. A case-control study at Sir Salimullah Medical College in Dhaka analyzed 46 adults with functional dyspepsia against 40 controls without the condition.
Multiple biopsies from the duodenum revealed markedly higher eosinophil counts: 23.98±7.98 eosinophils per high power field in dyspepsia patients versus 15.63±5.94 in controls (p<0.001). Eosinophilia was observed in 69.6% of dyspepsia patients compared to 17.5% of controls, indicating a strong association (odds ratio: 9.74).
These findings suggest significant duodenal eosinophilic infiltration in functional dyspepsia patients, supporting the hypothesis that immune activation might drive the disorder's development and symptoms. Additional multicentre studies are recommended to further explore these connections and assess the clinical implications of duodenal eosinophilia.