Eosinophilic gastroenteritis--a complex disease entity.

Although usually regarded as merely a manifestation of a simple food allergy, eosinophilic gastroenteritis remains a poorly understood disorder. Characterized by peripheral eosinophilia, eosinophilic infiltration of the bowel wall to a variable depth and gastrointestinal complaints, the disease responds inconsistently to simple food withdrawal programs. Immunoglobulin E (IgE) antibodies to specific food substances have been found in a few patients leading to a postulated pathophysiologic mechanism involving tissue mast cells, release of slow-reacting substance of anaphylaxis (SRS-A) and chemotaxis of eosinophils. Oral steroids appear, in uncontrolled trials, to ameliorate the disease.