Unusual presentations of eosinophilic gastroenteritis: Case series and review of literature

Eosinophilic gastroenteritis (EG) is an uncommon disease characterized by focal or diffuse eosinophilic infiltration of the gastrointestinal tract, and is usually associated with dyspepsia, diarrhea and peripheral eosinophilia. Diffuse gastrointestinal tract and colonic involvement are uncommon. The endoscopic appearance may vary from normal to mucosal nodularity and ulceration. Gastrointestinal obstruction is unusual and is associated with predominantly muscular disease. We present five unusual cases of EG associated with gastric outlet and duodenal obstruction. Two cases presented with acute pancreatitis and one had a history of pancreatitis . Four cases responded well to medical therapy and one had recurrent gastric outlet obstruction that required surgery. Four out of the five cases had endoscopic and histological evidence of esophagitis and two had colitis. Two patients had ascites. These cases reaffirm that EG is a disorder with protean manifestations and may involve the entire gastrointestinal tract. Gastric outlet and/or small bowel obstruction is an important though uncommon presentation of EG. It may also present as esophagitis, gastritis with polypoid lesions, ulcers or erosions, colitis and pancreatitis and may mimic malignancy. (C) 2009 The WJG Press and Baishideng. All rights reserved.