DYSPEPSIA DUE TO EOSINOPHILIC GASTROENTERITIS

Classical eosinophilic gastroenteritis is a rare disease but may be mi sdiagnosed in clinical practice. We report eosinophilic gastroenteriti s that was diagnosed in six patients (four males and two females; mean age 31.5 years) using standard criteria (presence of gastrointestinal symptoms, a predominant eosinophilic infiltrate on biopsy, and exclus ion of other causes of eosinophilia). Ail had gastric mucosal disease and presented with dyspepsia. The median duration of symptoms prior to diagnosis was three months (range five weeks to 13 years). Epigastric pain or discomfort was the most common symptom (100%) followed by ano rexia, nausea, and vomiting (67%, 67% and 33%, respectively). None had diarrhea. Half the patients had a history of allergy, while 67% had p eripheral eosinophilia. All responded to oral steroids within two mont hs; one third needed to continue on a small dose of maintenance steroi ds to remain in remission. A high degree of suspicion and biopsy at up per endoscopy is necessary for diagnosis of this rare disease.