Discrepancy between Abdominal Symptoms and Endoscopic Findings in Patients with Gastro-duodenal Eosinophilia: A Case Series

Intern Med. 2023 Sep 15;62(18):2661-2665. doi: 10.2169/internalmedicine.1137-22. Epub 2023 Feb 8.

Abstract

Some patients present gastro-duodenal eosinophilia without abdominal symptoms. Nine cases with gastro-duodenal eosinophilia were seen at the Tohoku University Hospital between January 2011 and June 2022. Seven (78%) patients had a background of allergic or hyper-eosinophilic disease. Esophagogastroduodenoscopy showed erosions (n=6), discoloration (n=4), ulcers (n=3), erythema (n=3), muskmelon-like appearance (n=2), and cracks (n=1). Two cases were asymptomatic with eosinophilic gastroenteritis (EGE)-like endoscopic findings, and two were symptomatic with normal endoscopic findings. The discrepancy between the abdominal symptoms and esophagogastroduodenoscopy findings suggests that clinicians should assess patients for background allergic disease, regardless of abdominal symptoms.

Keywords: abdominal symptoms; endoscopic findings; eosinophilic gastroenteritis.

MeSH terms

  • Enteritis* / complications
  • Enteritis* / diagnosis
  • Eosinophilia* / complications
  • Eosinophilia* / diagnosis
  • Gastritis* / diagnosis
  • Gastritis* / diagnostic imaging
  • Humans
  • Hypersensitivity*
  • Ulcer