[Gastrointestinal symptoms in disseminated Langerhans cell histiocytosis. Case report and review of the literature].

Symptoms of gastrointestinal disease are variable in Langerhans' cell histiocytosis (LCH). The incidence of gastrointestinal involvement is estimated to be approximately 5% in disseminated LCH. This report focuses on a 10.5 months old female infant who suffered from relapsing diarrhea and intermittent anal blood loss since the second week of life and from weight loss later in the course of disease. Definite diagnosis of LCH was not established before the patient developed additional characteristic symptoms. Analysis of large series of patients and a retrospective histopathological study reveals that an involvement of the gastrointestinal tract must be anticipated in about 50% of all cases with disseminated LCH.