Eosinophilic gastroenteritis with esophageal involvement.

A patient with a lifelong history of asthma and hay fever was investigated because of symptoms of esophageal spasm. Esophageal biopsies revealed elongated papillae and basal zone hyperplasia of the epithelial layer with eosinophilic infiltration of the lamina propria and muscularis mucosae. There was no evidence of reflux. Small bowel biopsies revealed a flat mucosal pattern with absent or blunted villi, tall columar surface epithelium, and eosinophilic infiltration of the lamina propria. He did not respond to a gluten-free diet. This patient is thought to have eosinophilic gatroenteritis with esophageal involvement, the first such case reported.