Eosinophilic gastroenteritis in a patient with chronic hepatitis C who received treatment with pegylated interferon

Abstract

A 54-year-old male was treated for chronic hepatitis C with pegylated interferon (PEG-IFN) α-2a administered for 24 weeks. HCV-RNA was negative at 24 weeks after treatment, showing sustained virological response (SVR). Abdominal distention and diarrhea were observed 28 weeks after commencing the treatment, i.e., 4 weeks after completing treatment. The elevation of eosinophil count was observed in blood tests and ascites, and because eosinophilic infiltration was also observed on gastrointestinal histopathology, the patient was diagnosed with eosinophilic enteritis. As the eosinophil count spontaneously improved and abdominal symptoms disappeared, the patient was not treated with steroids. The onset of eosinophilic enteritis during interferon therapy is comparatively rare. In this case, PEG-IFN was considered to be the causative factor. Furthermore, we suggested that subserosal eosinophilic enteritis may have characteristic symptoms in patients having hepatic diseases treated with interferon.

Causes of eosinophilic ascites – A systematic review

“…Two patients with CT scans describing peritoneal involvement [18,56] and another one with gastrointestinal wall thickening [37], underwent surgery and peritoneal fragments from all 3 subjects were sent for histological analysis. In 10 out of 19 cases with endoscopic lesions (1) [34], peritoneal involvement (1) [15], gastrointestinal wall thickening (3) [49,[57][58], endoscopic lesions with gastrointestinal wall thickening (1) [59], as well as in peritoneal involvement and gastrointestinal wall thickening association (1) [ [63][64]. Associations between EGE and autoimmune diseases were described in 3 patients: one with systemic lupus erythematosus [65], one with lupusscleroderma overlap syndrome and heterozygous bthalassemia [57], and another one presenting positive antinuclear antibodies [50].…”