Eosinophilic enteritis: efficiency of the 13C-acetate breath test for assessing the disease activity

Few clinical studies have so far focused on gastrointestinal motility in patients with eosinophilic gastroenteritis. A 29-year-old man was evaluated for epigastralgia of unknown origin. A histopathological examination of biopsy specimens from the duodenum revealed numerous eosinophilic infiltrations. Eosinophilic enteritis was therefore diagnosed. The patient received oral prednisolone and his symptoms improved. Both at the onset and at relapse of the disease, the maximal (13)CO(2) excretion time (T(max)) of (13)C-acetate breath test was noted to have increased levels of excretion. Recovery of this parameter was observed in parallel with clinical improvements after treatments. This is the first report of a case of eosinophilic enteritis in which the (13)C-acetate breath test was effective for assessing the disease activity and evaluating the effectiveness of treatment.