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Eosinophilic gastroenteritis in the pediatric patient
Insights
Eosinophilic gastroenteritis, a rare condition causing abdominal pain and high eosinophil counts, requires careful diagnosis to avoid unnecessary surgery. This case highlights a 20-year successful treatment with prednisone.
Area of Science:
- Gastroenterology
- Immunology
- Pediatrics
Background:
- Eosinophilic gastroenteritis presents with abdominal complaints and peripheral eosinophilia.
- Accurate diagnosis is crucial to prevent unnecessary exploratory surgeries.
- This condition can affect individuals of all ages, including infants.
Purpose of the Study:
- To present a case study of a patient diagnosed with eosinophilic gastroenteritis.
- To emphasize the importance of definitive diagnosis in managing the condition.
- To review the literature on diffuse, infiltrative eosinophilic gastroenteritis.
Main Methods:
- A case report of an infant presenting with severe abdominal symptoms and marked eosinophilia.
- Diagnostic procedures included peripheral blood count and antral tissue biopsy.
- Exclusionary tests were performed to rule out other potential diagnoses.
Main Results:
- The patient was diagnosed with eosinophilic gastroenteritis based on biopsy findings and clinical presentation.
- Eosinophilic ascites was noted.
- Long-term management with intermittent prednisone courses resulted in sustained symptom control over 20 years.
Conclusions:
- Eosinophilic gastroenteritis is a significant diagnosis in patients with unexplained abdominal symptoms and eosinophilia.
- Prompt and accurate diagnosis through biopsy is essential for appropriate management.
- Prednisone can be an effective treatment for long-term symptom control in eosinophilic gastroenteritis.
Abstract:
Eosinophilic gastroenteritis is a diagnosis to be entertained whenever a patient had abdominal complaints accompanied by striking peripheral eosinophilia. A definitive diagnosis is of greater importance in this illness, since undiagnosed cases often undergo needless exploratory surgery. An infant seen at 2 years, 10 months of age with abdominal pain, nausea, and vomiting was found to have a white blood cell count of 50,000/cu mm with 54% eosinophils and eosinophilic ascites. An antral tissue biopsy yielded a diagnosis of eosinophilic gastroenteritis after many studies had been made to exclude other diagnoses. Treatment with intermittent courses of prednisone kept the patient relatively asymptomatic over the period of 20 years during which she remained under our care. Immunologic studies shed no light on the etiology of this patient's disorder. The literature dealing with diffuse, infiltrative eosinophilic gastroenteritis is reviewed.
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