Digestive Diseases and Sciences

, Volume 52, Issue 11, pp 2904–2911 | Cite as

Eosinophilic Gastroenteritis: A Review

  • Nahum Méndez-Sánchez
  • Norberto C. Chávez-Tapia
  • Genaro Vazquez-Elizondo
  • Misael Uribe
Original Paper
First Online:
Received:
Accepted:

Abstract

Eosinophilic gastroenteritis is a rare benign disease characterized by tissue eosinophilic infiltration that may involve several digestive tract layers. Also known as allergic, or eosinophilic allergic, gastroenteropathy, it usually involves the stomach and small intestine: rarely the colon. It may or may not be accompanied by higher counts of eosinophils in the peripheral blood. The main clinical manifestations depend on the site affected. It has been classified according to clinical and pathological features, and the symptoms depend on the patient’s immunological response to several cytokines released by eosinophils. Because of lack of understanding of the etiology and triggering factors, treatment is based mainly on corticosteroids; although other drugs acting on the immune system have been tested, the results are not always satisfactory. This review focuses on the epidemiology, pathophysiology, clinical features, and treatment of this hitherto under-diagnosed disease.

Key Words

Eosinophilic gastroenteritis Eosinophils Abdominal pain Corticosteroids 
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Copyright information

© Springer Science+Business Media, Inc. 2006

Authors and Affiliations

  • Nahum Méndez-Sánchez
    • 1
    • 2
  • Norberto C. Chávez-Tapia
    • 1
  • Genaro Vazquez-Elizondo
    • 1
  • Misael Uribe
    • 1
  1. 1.Departments of Internal MedicineGastroenterlogy & Liver Research Unit, Medica Sur Clinic & FoundationMexico CityMexico
  2. 2.Departments of Internal MedicineGastroenterology & Liver Unit, Medica Sur Clinic & FoundationMexico CityMexico

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