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Case report
Eosinophilic colitis: an infrequent disease with difficult diagnose
  1. Javier Páramo-Zunzunegui1,2,
  2. Ignacio Ortega-Fernandez2,
  3. Silvia Benito-Barbero2 and
  4. Laura Rubio-López2
  1. 1Department of Surgery, Rey Juan Carlos University, Madrid, Spain
  2. 2Department of General and Digestive Surgery, Hospital Universitario de Móstoles, Móstoles, Spain
  1. Correspondence to Dr Javier Páramo-Zunzunegui; javier.paramo{at}salud.madrid.org

Abstract

Eosinophilic colitis (EC) is a rare entity. It is part of eosinophilic gastroenteritis, a rare inflammatory disorder characterised by eosinophilic infiltration of tissues that can affect any segment of the digestive tract. The diagnosis is established by the presence of an increased eosinophilic infiltrate in the colon wall in symptomatic patients. There is no characteristic clinical picture of EC. It can be associated with abdominal pain, changes in bowel movements, diarrhoea and rectal bleeding. Biopsies are mandatory if EC is suspected and despite visualising a normal mucosa. Although there are no protocol guidelines in this regard, steroid treatment is the first option in controlling the disease. Increasing the knowledge of clinicians and pathologists of this disorder and the recording its real incidence and population impact, could improve the understanding and treatment of the disease.

  • endoscopy
  • inflammatory bowel disease
  • general practice / family medicine
  • general surgery

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Footnotes

  • Contributors JP-Z: idea, writing and contributor who accepts full responsibility for the finished article. IO-F: writing; RL-L: identification and treatment of the patient; figures. SB-B: performed literature search.

  • Funding The authors have not declared a specific grant for this research from any funding agency in the public, commercial or not-for-profit sectors.

  • Competing interests None declared.

  • Patient consent for publication Obtained.

  • Provenance and peer review Not commissioned; externally peer reviewed.