Table 2.
Dysphagia severity as measured by NIH PROMISa
| NIH PROMIS dysphagia item | All respondents, n (%) | Patients with EoE, n (%) |
|---|---|---|
| N=4998 | n=399 | |
| In the past 7 days, how often did food get stuck in your chest when you were eating? | ||
| Never | 1217 (24.3) | 41 (10.3) |
| Rarely | 1349 (27.0) | 59 (14.8) |
| Sometimes | 1744 (34.9) | 121 (30.3) |
| Often | 596 (11.9) | 140 (35.1) |
| Always | 92 (1.8) | 38 (9.5) |
| In the past 7 days, how often did food get stuck in your throat when you were eating? | ||
| Never | 1108 (22.2) | 31 (7.8) |
| Rarely | 1363 (27.3) | 74 (18.5) |
| Sometimes | 1726 (34.5) | 119 (29.8) |
| Often | 704 (14.1) | 138 (34.6) |
| Always | 97 (1.9) | 37 (9.3) |
| In the past 7 days, how often did you feel pain in your chest when swallowing food? | ||
| Never | 1531 (30.6) | 37 (9.3) |
| Rarely | 1373 (27.5) | 57 (14.3) |
| Sometimes | 1419 (28.4) | 121 (30.3) |
| Often | 564 (11.3) | 133 (33.3) |
| Always | 111 (2.2) | 51 (12.8) |
| In the past 7 days, how often did you have difficulty swallowing solid foods like meat, chicken or raw vegetables, even after lots of chewing? | ||
| Never | 1095 (21.9) | 29 (7.3) |
| Rarely | 1317 (26.4) | 70 (17.5) |
| Sometimes | 1663 (33.3) | 110 (27.6) |
| Often | 755 (15.1) | 135 (33.8) |
| Always | 168 (3.4) | 55 (13.8) |
| In the past 7 days, how often did you have difficulty swallowing soft foods like ice cream, apple sauce, or mashed potatoes? | ||
| Never | 2654 (53.1) | 64 (16.0) |
| Rarely | 1283 (25.7) | 75 (18.8) |
| Sometimes | 717 (14.3) | 108 (27.1) |
| Often | 269 (5.4) | 109 (27.3) |
| Always | 75 (1.5) | 43 (10.8) |
| In the past 7 days, how often did you have difficulty swallowing liquids? | ||
| Never | 2390 (47.8) | 60 (15.0) |
| Rarely | 1321 (26.4) | 93 (23.3) |
| Sometimes | 905 (18.1) | 101 (25.3) |
| Often | 297 (5.9) | 100 (25.1) |
| Always | 85 (1.7) | 45 (11.3) |
| In the past 7 days, how often did you have difficulty swallowing pills?b | ||
| Never | 1420 (28.4) | 40 (10.0) |
| Rarely | 1180 (23.6) | 50 (12.5) |
| Sometimes | 1350 (27.0) | 114 (28.6) |
| Often | 735 (14.7) | 122 (30.6) |
| Always | 313 (6.3) | 73 (18.3) |
a
Percentages might not add to 100% because of rounding.
b
NIH PROMIS does not include a “not applicable” option for those who did not take pills in the past 7 days.
EoE, eosinophilic esophagitis; GI, gastrointestinal; NIH, National Institutes of Health; PROMIS, Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System.