Hematemesis caused by eosinophilic gastritis in infancy

Abstract

Background: Eosinophilic gastritis is an eosinophilic inflammation of the stomach mucosa characterized by eosinophilia in the absence of other known causes. It is usually the result of contact with a food allergen. Allergy to cow’s milk is one of the possible reasons. It often presents with different symptoms, one of these being hematemesis. From the current literature, we know that eosinophilic disease can result in severe tissue damage. Case presentation: We report two patients who were admitted to the gastroenterology department with severe hematemesis and were diagnosed via gastroscopy with the rare presentation of erosive gastropathy. Our patients eventually recovered after initiation of hydrolyzed milk. Conclusion: It is important to consider gastroscopy to aid in the rapid diagnosis of eosinophilic gastritis, even in the case of a relatively young child. This is because the strongest evidence for diagnosis is histological biopsy.