Eosinophilic gastroenteritis

Title

Other Names:

Eosinophilic gastritis; Eosinophilic enteritis; Eosinophilic gastroenteropathy; Eosinophilic gastritis; Eosinophilic enteritis; Eosinophilic gastroenteropathy; Eosinophilic esophagitis; EGE; Eosinophilic gastroenterocolitis See More

Categories:

Digestive Diseases

Summary Summary

Eosinophilic gastroenteritis is a condition that causes a type of white blood cell called an eosinophil to build up in the gastrointestinal system and in the blood. Eosinophils play a role in the body’s immune response by releasing toxins. Eosinophils are associated with allergic-type reactions, but their specific function is largely unknown.When eosinophils build up in the gastrointestinal tract, this begins to affect the body by causing polyps, tissue break down, inflammation, and ulcers. Eosinophilic gastroenteritis can occur in children or adults and is characterized by intolerance to some foods. Eosinophilic gastroenteritis can affect any part of the gastrointestinal tract, and is often named by the part affected: colon (colitis), esophagus (esophagitis), stomach (gastritis), or both the stomach and small intestine (gastroenteritis).^[1]^[2]

Last updated: 12/25/2015

Symptoms Symptoms

The symptoms of eosinophilic gastroenteritis vary depending on where the eosinophils build up in the gastrointestinal system and which “layers” of the intestinal wall are involved. Symptoms often include pain, skin rash, acid reflux, anemia, diarrhea, stomach cramps, bleeding, nausea, vomiting, loss of appetite, blood loss in stools, and choking. Symptoms can occur at any age, although they usually develop between ages 20 and 50 years. The symptoms of eosinophilic enteropathy overlap with other gastrointestinal disorders, such as ulcerative colitis, which makes diagnosis difficult. It is common for individuals with this disorder to have symptoms for many years before an accurate diagnosis is made.^[1]^[2]^[3]

Last updated: 12/25/2015

This table lists symptoms that people with this disease may have. For most diseases, symptoms will vary from person to person. People with the same disease may not have all the symptoms listed. This information comes from a database called the Human Phenotype Ontology (HPO) . The HPO collects information on symptoms that have been described in medical resources. The HPO is updated regularly. Use the HPO ID to access more in-depth information about a symptom.

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Medical Terms	Other Names	Learn More: HPO ID
80%-99% of people have these symptoms
Eosinophilia	High blood eosinophil count	0001880
30%-79% of people have these symptoms
Abdominal pain	Pain in stomach Stomach pain [ more ]	0002027
Allergic rhinitis	Hay fever Hayfever [ more ]	0003193
Anemia	Low number of red blood cells or hemoglobin	0001903
Dysphagia	Poor swallowing Swallowing difficulties Swallowing difficulty [ more ]	0002015
Elevated C-reactive protein level		0011227
Hypoalbuminemia	Low blood albumin	0003073
Steatorrhea	Fat in feces	0002570
Vomiting	Throwing up	0002013
5%-29% of people have these symptoms
Ascites	Accumulation of fluid in the abdomen	0001541
Asthma		0002099
Atopic dermatitis		0001047
Edema	Fluid retention Water retention [ more ]	0000969
Elevated erythrocyte sedimentation rate	High ESR	0003565
Hematochezia	Rectal bleeding	0002573
Protein-losing enteropathy		0002243
Weight loss		0001824

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Do you have more information about symptoms of this disease? We want to hear from you.

Last updated: 8/1/2020

Do you have updated information on this disease? We want to hear from you.

Diagnosis Diagnosis

Endoscopy and biopsy is the only way to confirm the diagnosis of eosinophilic gastroenteritis. During an endoscopy, a gastroenterologist looks at the gastrointestinal tract through an endoscope and takes multiple small samples (biopsies), which a pathologist reviews. A high number of eosinophils suggests the diagnosis of eosinophilic gastroenteritis. The pathologist will also look at the location of the eosinophils, changes in the tissue layers, and degranulation (spilling of the contents of the eosinophils). Eosinophils may be normally found in small numbers in all areas of the gastrointestinal tract except the esophagus. However, the number of eosinophils seen in individuals with eosinophilic enteropathy is much higher. Once the diagnosis of eosinophilic enteropathy is confirmed, food allergy testing is typically recommended to guide treatment. Tests for food allergies include skin prick testing, patch testing, and a Radioallergosorbent test (RAST).^[2]

Last updated: 12/25/2015

Treatment Treatment

There is no "cure" for eosinophilic gastroenteritis, but treatment can help alleviate symptoms and prevent further damage to the gastrointestinal tract. Treatment of eosinophilic enteropathy varies based on the location of the eosinophils, severity of symptoms, and other medical problems the child or adult may have. In most cases, dietary restrictions and medications can significantly improve the problematic symptoms of this condition.^[2]

Food allergy testing is used as a guide for restriction or elimination diets. An elimination diet means strictly avoiding all foods to which the patient has tested positive on allergy testing. Skin and patch testing are used to guide elimination diets.^[2]

Sometimes a stricter diet, called an elemental diet, is needed. Skin and patch testing are used to guide elimination diets, but it only takes one false negative food for the diet to "fail". Elemental diets are diets that do not include whole or broken-down forms of protein. Instead, special elemental formulas are used, which are made of amino acids (the building blocks of proteins), fats, sugars, vitamins and minerals. Amino acids do not cause allergic reactions but whole or partial proteins can.^[2]

Children and adults who rely in part, or completely, on an elemental amino acid based formula may have a difficult time drinking enough of the formula. To maintain proper nutrition, some require tube feedings directly into the stomach (enteral feeds). In the most severe cases, nutrition is administered directly into the blood stream (parenteral feeds).^[2]

The American Partnership for Eosinophilic Disorders provides more information about treatment for eosinophilic gastroenteritis. This organization also provides more details on restricted or elimination diets and elemental diets.

Last updated: 12/25/2015

Find a Specialist Find a Specialist

If you need medical advice, you can look for doctors or other healthcare professionals who have experience with this disease. You may find these specialists through advocacy organizations, clinical trials, or articles published in medical journals. You may also want to contact a university or tertiary medical center in your area, because these centers tend to see more complex cases and have the latest technology and treatments.

If you can’t find a specialist in your local area, try contacting national or international specialists. They may be able to refer you to someone they know through conferences or research efforts. Some specialists may be willing to consult with you or your local doctors over the phone or by email if you can't travel to them for care.

You can find more tips in our guide, How to Find a Disease Specialist. We also encourage you to explore the rest of this page to find resources that can help you find specialists.

Healthcare Resources

Cincinnati Center for Eosinophilic Disorders
Toll-free: 800-344-2462
Telephone: 513-636-2233
E-mail: cced@cchmc.org
Website: http://www.cincinnatichildrens.org/service/c/eosinophilic-disorders/default/

Related Diseases Related Diseases

Related diseases are conditions that have similar signs and symptoms. A health care provider may consider these conditions in the table below when making a diagnosis. Please note that the table may not include all the possible conditions related to this disease.

Conditions with similar signs and symptoms from Orphanet
Differential diagnosis includes eosinophilic esophagitis, Crohn disease, periarteritis nodosa, Churg-Strauss syndrome, idiopathic hypereosinophilic syndrome, congenital chronic diarrhea with protein-losing enteropathy, celiac disease, lymphoma (see these terms) and gastric cancer. Visit the Orphanet disease page for more information.

Research Research

Research helps us better understand diseases and can lead to advances in diagnosis and treatment. This section provides resources to help you learn about medical research and ways to get involved.

Clinical Research Resources

ClinicalTrials.gov lists trials that are related to Eosinophilic gastroenteritis. Click on the link to go to ClinicalTrials.gov to read descriptions of these studies.

Please note: Studies listed on the ClinicalTrials.gov website are listed for informational purposes only; being listed does not reflect an endorsement by GARD or the NIH. We strongly recommend that you talk with a trusted healthcare provider before choosing to participate in any clinical study.

Patient Registry

The Consortium of Eosinophilic Gastrointestinal Disease Researchers is an integrated group of academic medical centers, patient support organizations, and clinical research resources dedicated to conducting clinical research on eosinophilic esophagitis, eosinophilic gastritis, and eosinophilic colitis. The Consortium has a contact registry for patients who wish to be contacted about clinical research opportunities and updates on the progress of the research projects.

For more information on the registry see: https://www.rarediseasesnetwork.org/registry/index.htm

Organizations Organizations

Support and advocacy groups can help you connect with other patients and families, and they can provide valuable services. Many develop patient-centered information and are the driving force behind research for better treatments and possible cures. They can direct you to research, resources, and services. Many organizations also have experts who serve as medical advisors or provide lists of doctors/clinics. Visit the group’s website or contact them to learn about the services they offer. Inclusion on this list is not an endorsement by GARD.

Organizations Supporting this Disease

American Partnership For Eosinophilic Disorders
PO Box 29545
Atlanta, GA 30359
Telephone: 713-493-7749
E-mail: mail@apfed.org
Website: http://www.apfed.org
International Eosinophil Society
555 East Wells Street, Suite 1100
Milwaukee, WI 53202
Telephone: 414-276-6445
E-mail: info@eosinophil-society.org/
Website: http://www.eosinophil-society.org/

Organizations Providing General Support

American Autoimmune Related Diseases Association (AARDA)
22100 Gratiot Avenue
Eastpointe, MI 48021
Toll-free: 800-598-4668
Telephone: 586-776-3900
Fax: 586-776-3903
E-mail: aarda@aarda.org
Website: https://www.aarda.org/

Do you know of an organization? We want to hear from you.

Learn More Learn More

These resources provide more information about this condition or associated symptoms. The in-depth resources contain medical and scientific language that may be hard to understand. You may want to review these resources with a medical professional.

Where to Start

The National Organization for Rare Disorders (NORD) has a report for patients and families about this condition. NORD is a patient advocacy organization for individuals with rare diseases and the organizations that serve them.

In-Depth Information

Medscape Reference provides information on this topic. You may need to register to view the medical textbook, but registration is free.
The Monarch Initiative brings together data about this condition from humans and other species to help physicians and biomedical researchers. Monarch’s tools are designed to make it easier to compare the signs and symptoms (phenotypes) of different diseases and discover common features. This initiative is a collaboration between several academic institutions across the world and is funded by the National Institutes of Health. Visit the website to explore the biology of this condition.
Orphanet is a European reference portal for information on rare diseases and orphan drugs. Access to this database is free of charge.
PubMed is a searchable database of medical literature and lists journal articles that discuss Eosinophilic gastroenteritis. Click on the link to view a sample search on this topic.

News & Events News & Events

News

NIH-Supported Research Survey to Examine Impact of COVID-19 on Rare Diseases Community
May 22, 2020
NCATS Translational Approach Addresses COVID-19
May 21, 2020

GARD Answers GARD Answers

Questions sent to GARD may be posted here if the information could be helpful to others. We remove all identifying information when posting a question to protect your privacy. If you do not want your question posted, please let us know.

Have a question? Contact a GARD Information Specialist.

References References

Fleischer D & Atkins D. Evaluation of the patient with suspected eosinophilic gastrointestinal disease. Immunology and Allergy Clinics of North America. 2009; 29(1):53-63, ix. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19141341. Accessed 12/25/2015.
Eosinophilic Esophagitis (EoE). American Partnership for Eosinophilic Disorders. 2015; http://apfed.org/about-ead/egids/eoe/. Accessed 12/25/2015.
Nguyen MT. Eosinophilic Gastroenteritis. Medscape Reference. December 14, 2014; http://emedicine.medscape.com/article/174100-overview. Accessed 12/25/2015.

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