Long-term prognosis and its associated predictive factors in patients with eosinophilic gastroenteritis

BACKGROUND Eosinophilic gastroenteritis(EGE)is a chronic recurrent disease with abnormal eosinophilic infiltration in the gastrointestinal tract.Glucocorticoids remain the most common treatment method.However,disease relapse and glucocorticoid dependence remain notable problems.To date,few studies have illuminated the prognosis of EGE and risk factors for disease relapse.AIM To describe the clinical characteristics of EGE and possible predictive factors for disease relapse based on long-term follow-up.METHODS This was a retrospective cohort study of 55 patients diagnosed with EGE admitted to one medical center between 2013 and 2022.Clinical records were collected and analyzed.Kaplan-Meier curves and log-rank tests were conducted to reveal the risk factors for long-term relapse-free survival(RFS).RESULTS EGE showed a median onset age of 38 years and a slight female predominance(56.4%).The main clinical symptoms were abdominal pain(89.1%),diarrhea(61.8%),nausea(52.7%),distension(49.1%)and vomiting(47.3%).Forty-three(78.2%)patients received glucocorticoid treatment,and compared with patients without glucocorticoid treatments,they were more likely to have elevated serum immunoglobin E(IgE)(86.8%vs 50.0%,P=0.022)and descending duodenal involvement(62.8%vs 27.3%,P=0.046)at diagnosis.With a median follow-up of 67 mo,all patients survived,and 56.4%had at least one relapse.Six variables at baseline might have been associated with the overall RFS rate,including age at diagnosis<40 years[hazard ratio(HR)2.0408,95%confidence interval(CI):1.0082–4.1312,P=0.044],body mass index(BMI)>24 kg/m^(2)(HR 0.3922,95%CI:0.1916-0.8027,P=0.014),disease duration from symptom onset to diagnosis>3.5 mo(HR 2.4725,95%CI:1.220-5.0110,P=0.011),vomiting(HR 3.1259,95%CI:1.5246-6.4093,P=0.001),total serum IgE>300 KU/L at diagnosis(HR 0.2773,95%CI:0.1204-0.6384,P=0.022)and glucocorticoid treatment(HR 6.1434,95%CI:2.8446-13.2676,P=0.003).CONCLUSION In patients with EGE,younger onset age,longer disease course,vomiting and glucocorticoid treatment were risk factors for disease relapse,whereas higher BMI and total IgE level at baseline were protective.

Acute Eosinophilic Pneumonia (AEP) Due to Daptomycin: Is Autoimmunity a Clinico-Pathophysiologic Bridge to AEP?

Daptomycin induced acute eosinophilic pneumonia is a rare and potentially life threatening condition characterized by rapid respiratory failure, pulmonary infiltrates and eosinophilia. Risk factors for acute eosinophilic pneumonia include smoking, environmental irritants or inhalants and certain medications such as Daptomycin [1]. In this review of literature, we aim to explore the potential triggers for developing acute eosinophilic pneumonia in patients exposed to Daptomycin. The exact immune mechanism for daptomycin induced AEP is unknown, however the current proposed mechanism describes a T helper 2 lymphocyte response to inactivated daptomycin in the pulmonary surfactant, which leads to eosinophilia. Disordered T regulatory cell function is seen in patients with certain cancers, allergies and autoimmune conditions. We propose that patients with these underlying risk factors may be at increased risk of developing AEP after becoming exposed to Daptomycin. Understanding potential risk factors is crucial for health care workers as it allows them to identify susceptible populations, explore preventative measures and treat accordingly.

Animal models of eosinophilic esophagitis,review and perspectives

Eosinophilic oesophagitis(EoE)is an allergen/immune-mediated chronic esophageal disease characterized by esophageal mucosal eosinophilic infiltration and esophageal dysfunction.Although the disease was originally attributed to a delayed allergic reaction to allergens and a Th2-type immune response,the exact pathogenesis is complex,and the efficacy of existing treatments is unsatisfactory.Therefore,the study of the pathophysiological process of EOE has received increasing attention.Animal models have been used extensively to study the molecular mechanism of EOE pathogenesis and also provide a preclinical platform for human clinical intervention studies of novel therapeutic agents.To maximize the use of existing animal models of EOE,it is important to understand the advantages or limitations of each modeling approach.This paper systematically describes the selection of experimental animals,types of allergens,and methods of sensitization and excitation during the preparation of animal models of EoE.It also discusses the utility and shortcomings of each model with the aim of providing the latest perspectives on EoE models and leading to better choices of animal models.

Human Eosinophil Cell Manipulation by Optical Tweezers

In this work, lateral deformation of human eosinophil cell during the lateral indentation by an optically trapped microbead of diameter 4.5 µm is studied. The images were captured using a CCD camera and the Boltzmann statistics method was used for force calibration. Using the Hertz model, we calculated and compared the elastic moduli resulting from the lateral force, showing that the differences are important and the force should be considered. Besides the lateral component, the setup also allows us to examine the lateral cell-bead interaction. The mean values of the properties obtained, in particular the elastic stiffness and the shear stiffness, were Eh = (37.76 ± 2.85) µN/m and Gh = (12.57 ± 0.32) µN/m. These results show that the lateral indentation can therefore be used as a routine method for cell study, because it enabled us to manipulate the cell without contact with the laser.

Chest CT quantitative parameters in patients with acute exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease:Correlations with blood eosinophil level

Objective To observe the correlations of chest CT quantitative parameters in patients with acute exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease(AECOPD)with blood eosinophil(EOS)level.Methods Chest CT data of 162 AECOPD patients with elevated eosinophils were retrospectively analyzed.The patients were divided into low EOS group(n=105)and high EOS group(n=57)according to the absolute counting of blood EOS.The quantitative CT parameters,including the number of whole lung bronchi and the volume of blood vessels,low-attenuation area percentage(LAA%)of whole lung,of left/right lung and each lobe of lung,as well as the luminal diameter(LD),wall thickness(WT),wall area(WA)and WA percentage of total bronchial cross-section(WA%)of grade 3 to 8 bronchi were compared between groups.Spearman correlations were performed to analyze the correlations of quantitative CT parameters with blood EOS level.Results LAA%of the whole lung,of the left/right lung and each lobe of lung,as well as of the upper lobe of right lung LD grade 4,middle lobe of right lung WT grade 5,upper lobe of right lung WA grade 4,middle lobe of right lung WA grade 5 and lower lobe of left lung WA grade 3 in low EOS group were all higher than those in high EOS group(all P<0.05).Except for the upper lobe of right lung LD grade 4,the above quantitative CT indexes being significant different between groups were all weakly and negatively correlated with blood EOS level(r=-0.335 to-0.164,all P<0.05).Conclusion Chest CT quantitative parameters of AECOPD patients were correlated with blood EOS level,among which LAA%,a part of WT and WA were all weakly negatively correlated with blood EOS level.

Evolving strategies: Enhancements in managing eosinophilic esophagitis in pediatric patients

Eosinophilic esophagitis is a newly recognized disease first described about 50 years ago.The definition,diagnosis,and management have evolved with new published consensus guidelines and newly approved treatment available to pediatricians,enabling a better understanding of this disease and more targeted treatment for patients.We describe the definition,presentation,and diagnosis of eosinophilic esophagitis including management,challenges,and future directions in children.The definition,diagnosis,and management of eosinophilic esophagitis have evolved over the last 50 years.Consensus guidelines and newly approved biologic treatment have enabled pediatricians to better understand this disease and allow for more targeted treatment for patients.We describe the definition,presentation,diagnosis,management,and treatment in addition to the challenges and future directions of eosinophilic esophagitis management in children.

Eosinophilic solid and cystic renal cell carcinoma with aggressive behavior:Two case reports

BACKGROUND Eosinophilic solid and cystic(ESC)renal cell carcinoma(RCC),a unique and emerging subtype of RCC,has an indolent nature;in some rare instances,it may exhibit metastatic potential.Current cases are inadequate to precisely predict the clinical outcome of ESC RCC and determine treatment choices.CASE SUMMARY Herein,we report two patients with ESC RCC.Patient 1 was a young woman with classical pathological characteristics.Patient 2 was a 52-year-old man with multifocal metastases,involving the pulmonary hilar and mediastinal lymph nodes,liver,brain,mesosternum,vertebra,rib,femur,and symphysis pubis.Awareness of ESC RCC,along with its characteristic architecture and immunophenotype,would contribute to making a definitive diagnosis,even on core biopsy samples.CONCLUSION The discovery of ESC RCC molecular signatures may provide new therapeutic strategies in the future.

Clinical Research Progress of Peripheral Blood Eosinophils in Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease(COPD)accounts for one of the major health and economic burdens worldwide.As a heterogeneous disease,the underlying inflammatory pattern of COPD differs from the previously thought neutrophil-dominated inflammation,with eosinophilic inflammation occupying approximately one third of stable COPD.Although the eosinophil(EOS)threshold associated with clinical relevance in patients with COPD is currently debated,eosinophil count can be used as a biomarker to guide treatment and to assess the risk of acute exacerbations of COPD,the efficacy of inhaled corticosteroids,and clinical outcomes.The purpose of this review is to describe the biological characteristics of eosinophils and the related research progress as clinical biomarkers.

外周血EOS、IL-21、CCL4与慢性鼻-鼻窦炎伴鼻息肉患者术后复发的相关性

目的探究外周血嗜酸性粒细胞数(EOS)、白细胞介素-21(IL-21)、趋化因子4(CCL4)与慢性鼻-鼻窦炎伴鼻息肉(CRSwNP)患者术后复发的相关性。方法回顾性选取青岛市第八人民医院2020年1月至2022年6月收治的86例行慢性鼻-鼻窦炎伴鼻息肉切除术患者,收集所有患者的一般资料,对患者进行外周血EOS、IL-21、CCL4检测;并对患者进行随访1年,统计其复发情况,根据患者的术后复发情况将患者分为复发组(n=34)与正常组(n=52)。比较两组的临床资料和外周血EOS、IL-21、CCL4水平;采用Pearson相关性分析探讨外周血EOS、IL-21、CCL4与CRSwNP患者鼻窦CT Lund-Mackay评分的相关性;采用受试者工作特征(ROC)曲线评估CRSwNP患者术后复发的预测价值。结果随访期间共记录到术后复发患者34例,占比39.53%,未复发患者52例,占比60.47%。两组患者的嗜酸性粒细胞型鼻息肉例数、鼻窦CT Lund-Mackay评分、外周血EOS、IL-21、CCL4水平进行比较,差异有统计学意义(t=4.250、5.300、3.890、3.089、3.499,P<0.05)。多因素logistic回归分析结果显示外周血EOS、IL-21、CCL4水平均是CRSwNP患者术后复发的独立危险因素(P<0.05)。Pearson相关性分析结果显示,外周血EOS、IL-21、CCL4水平与CRSwNP患者鼻窦CT Lund-Mackay评分具有相关性(r=0.433、0.681、0.547,P<0.05)。ROC曲线结果显示,外周血EOS、IL-21、CCL4及三者联合对预测CRSwNP患者术后复发的AUC面积分别为:0.725、0.686、0.709、0.834,且联合预测的灵敏度和特异度最高,效果最好(P<0.05)。结论外周血EOS、IL-21、CCL4与CRSwNP患者病情程度具有相关性,通过外周血EOS、IL-21、CCL4预测慢性鼻-鼻窦炎伴鼻息肉患者术后复发具有一定的预测价值。

Eosinophilic gastroenteritis:An unusual type of gastroenteritis

Eosinophilic gastroenteritis(EGE) is a rare disorder characterized by eosinophilic infiltration of the bowel wall with various gastrointestinal manifestations.Till date only 280 cases have been described in the literature.A high index of suspicion,by excluding other causes of peripheral eosinophilia,is a pre requisite for accurate diagnosis.EGE is an uncommon gastrointestinal disease affecting both children and adults.It was first described by Kaijser in 1937.Presentation may vary depending on location as well as depth and extent of bowel wall involvement and usually runs a chronic relapsing course.This condition can respond to low dose steroid therapy,thereby preventing grave complications like ascites and intestinal obstruction that might need surgical intervention.The natural history of EGE has not been well documented.Eosinophilic gastroenteritis is a chronic,waxing and waning condition.Mild and sporadic symptoms can be managed with reassurance and observation,whereas disabling gastrointestinal(GI) symptom flare-ups can often be controlled with oral corticosteroids.When the disease manifests in infancy and specific food sensitization can be identified,the likelihood of disease remission by late childhood is high.GI obstruction is the most common complication.Fatal outcomes are rare.

Eosinophilic chronic rhinosinusitis in East Asians

Chronic rhinosinusitis(CRS) is a common disease worldwide, with a prevalence rate of 5%-15% in the general population. CRS is currently classified into two types: CRS with and without nasal polyps. CRS may also be divided into eosinophilic CRS(ECRS) and non-ECRS subtypes based on the presence of tissue eosinophilic infiltration or not. There are significant geographic and ethnic differences in the tissue eosinophilic infiltration, which is predominant in Western white patients and less common in East Asians, despite an increasing tendency for its prevalence in East Asia countries. ECRS differs significantly from non-ECRS in clinical characteristics, treatment outcomes and strategies, and underlying pathogenic mechanisms. ECRS commonly demonstrates more severe symptoms, polyp diseases with a higher incidence of bilateral polyps and sinonasal diseases on computed tomography, and the increase in blood eosinophils. ECRS is considered a special and recalcitrant subtype of CRS, commonly with poor treatment outcomes compared to non-ECRS. The differentiation of specific subtypes and clinical features of CRS will be important for developing novel treatment strategies and improving treatment outcomes for individual phenotypes of CRS. This review discusses clinical features, diagnosis, treatment and prognosis of ECRS in East Asians.

Diagnosis of eosinophilic gastroenteritis is easily missed

AIM To analyze the clinical characteristics of eosinophilic gastroenteritis(EGE)and to investigate the situations of missed diagnosis of EGE.METHODS First,the clinical characteristics of 20 EGE patients who were treated at our hospital were retrospectively summarized.Second,159 patients who underwent gastroscopy and 211 patients who underwent colonoscopy were enrolled.The pathological diagnosis showed only chronic inflammation in their medical records.The biopsy slides of these patients were reevaluated to determine the number of infiltrating eosinophils in order to assess the probability of a missed diagnosis of EGE.Finally,122 patients who experienced refractory upper gastrointestinal symptoms for at least one month were recruited.At least 6biopsy specimens were obtained by gastroscopy,and the number of eosinophils that had infiltrated was evaluated.Those who met the pathological diagnostic criteria of EGE underwent further examination to confirm the diagnosis of EGE.The probability of a missed diagnosis of EGE was prospectively investigated.RESULTS Among the 20 patients with EGE,mucosal EGE was found in 15 patients,muscular EGE was found in 3patients and serosal EGE was found in 2 patients.Abdominal pain was the most common symptom.The number of peripheral blood eosinophils was elevated in all 20 patients,all of whom were sensitive to corticosteroids.Second,among the 159 patients who underwent gastroscopy,7(4.40%)patients met the criteria for pathological EGE(eosinophil count≥25/HPF).Among the 211 patients who underwent colonoscopy,9(4.27%)patients met the criteria for pathological EGE(eosinophil count≥30/HPF).No patients with eosinophil infiltration were diagnosed with EGE in clinical practice before or after endoscopy.Although these patients did not undergo further examination to exclude other diseases that can also lead to gastrointestinal eosinophil infiltration,these might be the cases where the diagnosis of EGE was missed.Finally,among the 122 patients with refractory upper gastrointestinal symptoms,eosinophil infiltration was seen in 7 patients(5.74%).The diagnosis of EGE was confirmed in all 7 patients after the exclusion of other diseases that can also lead to gastrointestinal eosinophil infiltration.A positive correlation was observed between the duration of the symptoms and the risk of EGE(r=0.18,P<0.01).The patients whose symptoms persisted longer than 6 mo more readily developed EGE.None of the patients were considered to have EGE by their physicians before endoscopy.CONCLUSION Although EGE is a rare inflammatory disorder,it is easily misdiagnosed.When a long history of abdominal symptoms fails to improve after conventional therapy,EGE should be considered.

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.

Fecal microbiota transplantation and prednisone for severe eosinophilic gastroenteritis

Eosinophilic gastroenteritis is a rare disease of unknown etiology. It is characterized by patchy or diffuse eosinophilic infiltration of the bowel wall to a variable depth and various gastrointestinal manifestations. We describe a case of severe eosinophilic gastroenteritis presenting as frequent bowel obstruction and diarrhea in a 35-year-old man. The patient was misdiagnosed and underwent surgery because of intestinal obstruction when he was first admitted to a local hospital. Then he was misdiagnosed as having Crohn&#x02019;s disease in another university teaching hospital. Finally, the patient asked for further treatment from our hospital because of the on-going clinical trial for treating refractory Crohn&#x02019;s disease by fecal microbiota transplantation. Physical examination revealed a slight distended abdomen with diffuse tenderness. Laboratory investigation showed the total number of normal leukocytes with neutrophilia as 90.5%, as well as eosinopenia, monocytopenia and lymphocytopenia. Barium radiography and sigmoidoscopy confirmed inflammatory stenosis of the sigmoid colon. We diagnosed the patient as having eosinophilic gastroenteritis by multi-examinations. The patient was treated by fecal microbiota transplantation combined with oral prednisone, and was free from gastrointestinal symptoms at the time when we reported his disease. This case highlights the importance of awareness of manifestations of a rare disease like eosinophilic gastroenteritis.

Eosinophilic gastroenteritis associated with eosinophilic cystitis:Computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging findings

Eosinophilic gastroenteritis(EG) is a rare,distinct clinical entity,and EG associated with eosinophilic cystitis(EC) is extremely rare and has not been well documented.Here,we report two cases of EG and coexistent EC along with findings from computed tomography(CT) and magnetic resonance imaging(MRI).An 18-year-old male with a history of hematuria,urgency and occasional urodynia for two weeks and a 34-year-old male with a history of abdominal distention for one week were admitted to our hospital.Abdominal contrast-enhanced CT in both patients revealed wall thickening in different parts of the gastrointestinal tract with inhomogeneous reinforcement,coexistent with local or diffuse bladder wall thickening with progressive enhancement,and also showed that the bladder mucosal lining was nondestructive.Pelvic MRI showed that the local or diffuse thickened bladder wall was iso-intense on T1-weighted images,hypointense on T2-weighted images,and slightly restricted on diffusion weighted imaging(DWI) in one case.After therapy,the thickened wall of the gastrointestinal tract and urinary bladder had improved markedly in the two cases.To the best of our knowledge,this is the first report on the radiological imaging of EG and coexistent EC by both CT and MRI and the first with DWI findings.

Metabolomic Analysis of Serum Glycerophospholipid Levels in Eosinophilic and Neutrophilic Asthma

Objective To compare the serum glycerophospholipid levels in the inflammatory subtypes of asthma by using targeted metabolomic analysis. Methods Demographic and clinical data were collected from 51 patients with asthma between January 2015 and December 2015. Routine blood and sputum induction tests were performed. Eosinophilic asthma was defined as induced sputum containing ≥ 3% eosinophils, and neutrophilic asthma, as induced sputum containing ≥ 71% neutrophils. Serum metabolic glycerophospholipid profile was determined by liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry. Differences in glycerophospholipid levels between eosinophilic and non-eosinophilic asthma and between neutrophilic and non-neutrophilic asthma were analyzed using partial least squares discriminant analysis. Results The serum lysophosphatidylglycerol level was significantly higher in the group with ≥ 3% eosinophils in sputum than in the group with < 3% eosinophils in sputum. The area under the receiver-operating characteristic curve was ≥ 70%. There was no significant difference in the serum metabolic glycerophospholipid profile between the group with sputum neutrophils ≥ 71% and the group with sputum neutrophils < 71%. Conclusion Serum lysophosphatidylglycerol is produced abundantly in eosinophilic asthma and may be a biomarker of eosinophilic asthma. This information is helpful for identifying and tailoring treatment for the common asthma subtypes.

Effect of RNA interference therapy on the mice eosinophils CCR3 gene and granule protein in the murine model of allergic rhinitis

Objective:To observe the clinical manifestations of allergic rhinitis mice and the expression changes of the eosinophils CCR3 and the granule protein rnRNA in the bone marrow,peripheral blood and nasal lavage fluid.Mctliods:Twenty-four BALB/c mice were randomly divided into the control group.PBS therapy group.siKNA therapy group and the CCR3 siRNA therapy group(n=6).Allergic rhinitis model were sensitized and stimulated by ovalbunfin,and CCR3 siKNA therapy group were administered with CCH3 transnasally before stimulated.The levels of the eosinophils CCR3.MBP.ECP and EPO in bone marrow,peripheral blood and nasal lavage fluid were detected by RT-PCR.Results:Compared to the control group and CCR3 siR.NA therapy group,the nasal mucosa of the PBS therapy group and siRNA therapy group developed epithalaxy.goblet cells hyperplasia,squamous epithelium metaplasia,epithelium necrosis,lamina propria and submucosa gland hyperplasia,vasodilatation,tissue edema,and the characterized eosinophil infiltration.RT-PCR indicated that the CCR3 rnRNA,MBP.ECP and EPC)expression in bone marrow,peripheral blood and nasal lavage fluid of the CCR3 siKNA therapy group was lower than the PBS therapy group and siR.NA therapy group(P<0.05).Conclusions:The RNA interference therapy to CCR3 by local administration pernasal can suppress the process of the development,migration and invasion of the allergic rhinitis eosinophil,thus can reduce the effect of eosinophils and then reduce the inflammation effect of the allergic rhinitis.It may be a new treatment for respiratory tract allergic inflammation.

Adult eosinophilic gastroenteritis and hypereosinophilic syndromes

Eosinophilic gastroenteritis (EGE) in the adult is a distinctive pathologically-based disorder characterized by an eosinophil-predominant mucosal inflammatory process. Most often,the disorder is detected during endoscopic investigation for abdominal pain or diarrhea. Other causes of gastric and intestinal mucosal eosinophilia require exclusion,including parasitic infections and drug-induced causes. Occasionally,the muscle wall or serosal surface may be involved. EGE appears to be more readily recognized,in large part,due to an evolution in the imaging methods used to evaluate abdominal pain and diarrhea,in particular,endoscopic imaging and mucosal biopsies. Def inition of EGE,however,may be diffi cult,as the normal ranges of eosinophil numbers in normal and abnormal gastric and intestinal mucosa are not well standardized. Also,the eosinophilic inflammatory process may be either patchy or diffuse and the detection of the eosinophilic infiltrates may vary depending on the method of biopsy fixation. Treatment has traditionally focused on resolution of symptoms,and,in some instances,eosinophil quantification in pre-treatment and post-treatment biopsies. Future evaluation and treatment of EGE may depend on precise serological biomarkers to aid in defi nition of the long-term natural history of the disorder and its response to pharmacological or biological forms of therapy.

Massive hemorrhagic ascites: A rare presentation of eosinophilic gastroenteritis

According to Klein's classification system, the symp-tomatology of eosinophilic gastroenteritis(EG), a rare disease, differs based on the affected tissue layer. Pati-ents with subserosal EG often have peritoneal effusion. Hemorrhagic ascites due to EG is extremely rare and has not been reported in the literature. Here, we report a 57-year-old woman with EG and massive hemorrhagic ascites. Laboratory investigations showed elevated per-ipheral eosinophils with significant eosinophilia(65.6%). Ultrasonography showed massive abdominal ascites. Ab-dominal paracentesis revealed hemorrhagic peritoneal fluid and microscopy showed predominant eosinophils. Upper gastrointestinal endoscopy revealed erosions, ex-udates, and mucosal rings in the duodenal mucosa; hist-ological examination indicated eosinophilic infiltration. EG presenting with hemorrhagic ascites was diagnosed by histologic examination of eosinophilic infiltration. She was empirically treated with ketotifen 1 mg bid po with rapid resolution of ascites and a remarkable decline in peripheral eosinophil counts. Clinicians should consider the different-ial diagnosis of unexplained hemorrhagic ascites.

Eosinophilic gastroenteritis presenting as small bowel obstruction: A case report and review of the literature

Eosinophilic gastroenteritis is a rare disease of unknown etiology. It is characterized by eosinophilic infiltration of the bowel wall to a variable depth and symptoms associated with gastrointestinal tract. Recently, the authors experienced a case of eosinophilic gastroenteritis presenting as small bowel obstruction. A 51-year old woman was admitted to our hospital complaining of abdominal pain and vomiting. Physical examination revealed a distended abdomen with diffuse tenderness. Complete blood count showed mild leukocytosis without eosinophilia. Computed tomography confirmed a dilatation of the small intestine with ascites. An emergency laparotomy was performed for a diagnosis of peritonitis due to intestinal obstruction. Segmental resection of the ileum and end to end anastomosis were performed. Histologically, there was a dense infiltration of eosinophils throughout the entire thickness of ileal wall and eosinophilic enteritis was diagnosed. The patient recovered well, and was free from gastrointestinal symptoms at the time when we reported her disease.