Eosinophilic gastritis and gluten-sensitive enteropathy manifested as hypoproteinemia and treated with omalizumab: a case report

BACKGROUND: Eosinophilic gastritis (EoG) has rarely been reported in conjunction with gluten-sensitive enteropathy (GSE).

When this does occur, patients typically present with gastrointestinal symptoms.

To our knowledge, hypoproteinemia has not been reported as the primary manifestation.

Anti-IgE therapy, such as omalizumab, lowers eosinophil counts in the blood, lungs, and gut.

Its efficiency in treating active EoG remain unknown.

CASE PRESENTATION: We report a 33-month-old boy with a history of food allergy and atopic dermatitis who developed recurrent edema, hypoproteinemia, and eosinophilia at the age of 14 months.

The diagnoses of EoG and GSE were confirmed based on the clinical presentation and results of gastrointestinal biopsies and serological testing.

Although prednisone and dietary intervention were initially effective, the boy developed prednisone-related facial swelling.

After stopping prednisone, his symptoms relapsed.

Subsequent treatment with omalizumab, combined with dietary intervention, showed good efficacy and safety.

CONCLUSIONS: To our knowledge, this is the first case of concurrent EoG and GSE that presented primarily with hypoproteinemia.

We highlight the rare manifestations of these two diseases to raise clinical suspicion and prevent missed and delayed diagnoses.

The pathogenesis of EoG is heterogeneous and complex.

Omalizumab showed good efficacy, indicating that IgE-mediated processes may be involved in the pathogenesis of this patient’s diseases.