Off Label Use of Infliximab in Adult Patients With Severe Eosinophilic Esophagitis

Eosinophilic Esophagitis (EE) is a chronic inflammatory disorder of the esophagus with a constantly increasing prevalence. It has been demonstrated that the expression of the cytokine TNF-α is up regulated in EE and that this pro-inflammatory cytokine is highly expressed by the keratinocytes of the esophageal epithelium in patients with active EE. Furthermore, it has been shown that TNF-α is capable to induce eotaxin-3 production in keratinocytes. These results suggest that TNF-α plays a crucial role in the pathogenesis of EE. Based on these findings, the investigators plan a prospective T1 translational study with the purpose to evaluate the efficacy of an Infliximab monotherapy in adult patients with severe, corticosteroid-dependent EE.