Exploration of useful clinical laboratory values as diagnostic criteria for eosinophilic gastroenteritis

Eosinophilic gastroenteritis (EGE) is a rare eosinophilic infiltrative disorder. In Japan, EGE is diagnosed using clinical symptoms as well as microscopic, haematologic and histopathological findings. In this study, we examined the usefulness of laboratory data in the diagnosis of EGE.

Patients who were diagnosed with EGE at Fujita Health University Bantane Hospital between April 2015 and December 2020 were enrolled in this study and their data was retrospectively analysed. We evaluated their medical history, laboratory data including leukocyte count, eosinophil count, immunoglobulin (Ig) E, thymus and activation-regulated chemokine (TARC), C-reactive protein (CRP), etc. and histopathological data were collected from the electronic medical records.

One hundred twelve of 168 patients who were treated for EGE could be analysed. The peripheral eosinophil count was correlated with the duodenal or ascending colon eosinophil count; moreover, the blood lymphocyte count and the TARC were correlated with the transverse colon eosinophil count. Multivariate regression analysis showed correlations only in the oesophagus, stomach and duodenum. Specifically, correlations were noted between blood eosinophils and gastric eosinophils, blood eosinophils and duodenal eosinophils, blood lymphocytes and gastric eosinophils, blood IgE and oesophageal, gastric and duodenal eosinophils and CRP and oesophageal eosinophils.

The extent of blood eosinophil count, lymphocyte count, IgE and CRP elevation together with clinical features and pathology can be incorporated into a diagnostic scoring criteria system to improve the accuracy of diagnosing this uncommon condition in the future.