Esophageal inflammation and stricture: complication of chronic granulomatous disease of childhood.

Esophagitis in children with immunodeficiency is most commonly due to opportunistic infection. The authors describe three patients with chronic granulomatous disease (CGD) of childhood who developed esophageal strictures that were believed to be complications of the primary disease. At radiologic examination, all three patients initially had a focal narrowing of the upper thoracic esophagus. Endoscopy showed no signs of opportunistic infection or Barrett esophagus. Biopsy of the strictures in two patients revealed findings consistent with CGD. In two of the three patients, inflammation extended to involve the middle and distal esophagus. Long-term response to balloon dilation was poor in the first two patients. The third patient was lost to follow-up after a partial clinical and radiographic response to dilation.