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Eosinophilic gastroenteritis associated with systemic lupus erythematosus
David A Barbie1, Abeel A Mangi, Gregory Y Lauwers
1Department of Internal Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA. dbarbie@partners.org
Journal of Clinical Gastroenterology
|October 20, 2004
Summary
This case report details a rare instance of eosinophilic gastroenteritis diagnosed in a patient with systemic lupus erythematosus. This highlights a potential, previously unreported, association between these two conditions.
Area of Science:
- Gastroenterology
- Rheumatology
- Immunology
Background:
- Eosinophilic gastroenteritis (GE) is a rare gastrointestinal disorder with unknown causes, sometimes linked to allergies or autoimmune conditions.
- Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is a chronic autoimmune disease affecting multiple organ systems.
Observation:
- A 37-year-old woman with a history of idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura presented with persistent nausea, vomiting, and abdominal pain.
- Diagnostic workup revealed bowel wall thickening, ascites, positive antinuclear antibody (ANA) and anti-double stranded (DS) DNA antibodies, low complement levels, and proteinuria.
Findings:
- Biopsies confirmed eosinophilic gastroenteritis (GE).
- The patient also met diagnostic criteria for systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE).
- This represents the first documented case of co-occurring eosinophilic gastroenteritis and systemic lupus erythematosus.
Implications:
- This case suggests a potential link between eosinophilic gastroenteritis and systemic lupus erythematosus.
- Further research is warranted to explore the immunological mechanisms underlying this association.
- Clinicians should consider SLE in patients diagnosed with eosinophilic gastroenteritis, especially those with overlapping autoimmune markers.