Oesophageal mastocytosis: eosinophilic oesophagitis without eosinophils?

A 59-year-old male with a history of lifelong asthma, allergic rhinitis and hypercholesterolaemia presented to the emergency department for management of severe substernal chest pain with radiating pain to his left arm, nausea and diaphoresis. Physical examination was unrevealing and a cardiac workup including cardiac enzymes, ECG, chest radiographs were negative for an underlying ischaemic event. A subsequent gastrointestinal workup including oesophageal manometry and oesophagogastroduodenoscopy revealed elevated lower oesophageal pressures and histopathology suggestive of mast cell proliferation, respectively. These findings were suggestive of oesophageal mastocytosis. Treatment with omeprazole-sodium bicarbonate, cetirizine, montelukast and oral budesonide promptly ameliorated his symptoms which have not recurred. © BMJ Publishing Group Ltd (unless otherwise stated in the text of the article) 2017. All rights reserved. No commercial use is permitted unless otherwise expressly granted.