Eosinophilic cholecystitis as a rare manifestation of visceral larva migrans

Eosinophilic cholecystitis is an infrequent form of cholecystitis. The etiology of eosinophilic cholecystitis is still obscure, and it is sometimes accompanied with several complications, but a simultaneous onset with pericarditis is very rare. We would like to make an alternative interpretation of our recent report ＂Kaji K, Yoshiji H, Yoshikawa M, Yamazaki M, Ikenaka Y, Noguchi R, Sawai M, Ishikawa M, Mashitani T, Kitade M, Kawaratani H, Uemura M, Yamao J, Fujimoto M, Mitoro A, Toyohara M, Yoshida M, Fukui H. Eosinophilic cholecystitis along with pericarditis caused by Ascaris lumbricoides;A case report. World J Gastroenterol 2007; 13 ;3760-3762.＂     

Resected case of eosinophilic cholangiopathy presenting with secondary sclerosing cholangitis

Eosinophilic cholangiopathy is a rare condition characterized by eosinophilic infiltration of the biliary tract and causes sclerosing cholangitis. We report a patient with secondary sclerosing cholangitis with eosinophilic cholecystitis. A 46-year-old Japanese man was admitted to our hospital with jaundice. Computed tomography revealed dilatation of both the intrahepatic and extrahepatic bile ducts, diffuse thickening of the wall of the extrahepatic bile duct, and thickening of the gallbladder wall. Under the diagnosis of lower bile duct carcinoma, he underwent pyloruspreserving pancreatoduodenectomy and liver biopsy. On histopathological examination, conspicuous fibrosis was seen in the lower bile duct wall. In the gallbladder wall, marked eosinophilic infiltration was seen. Liver biopsy revealed mild portal fibrosis. He was diagnosed as definite eosinophilic cholecystitis with sclerosing cholangitis with unknown etiology. The possible etiology of sderosing cholangitis was consequent fibrosis from previous eosinophilic infiltration in the bile duct. The clinicopathological findings of our case and a literature review indicated that eosinophilic cholangiopathy could cause a condition mimicking primary sclerosing cholangitis （PSC）. Bile duct wall thickening in patients with eosinophilic cholangitis might be due to fibrosis of the bile duct wall. Eosinophilic cholangiopathy might be confused as PSC with eosinophilia.     

Churg-Strauss syndrome complicated by colon erosion, acalculous cholecystitis and liver abscesses

We report on a case of Churg-Strauss syndrome (CSS) with colon erosion, cholecystitis and liver abscesses. A 21-year-old woman with a history of bronchial asthma for 3 years was admitted with a complaint of abdominal pain. Laboratory findings included remarkable leukocytosis and eosinophilia, and a colonoscopy revealed erosion from the rectum to the ileocecal region. In addition, a colonic biopsy specimen showed necrotizing vasculitis and marked eosinophilic infiltration. On the basis of the clinical features and histopathological findings, she was diagnosed with CSS and subsequently treated with oral prednisolone, after which the eosinophilia and abdominal pain disappeared. However, on the 15th d in hospital she developed cholecystitis and liver abscesses. She was therefore treated with antibiotics and as a result went into clinical remission.     

Eosinophilic gastroenteritis presenting as small bowel obstruction： A case report and review of the literature

Eosinophilic gastroenteritis is a rare disease of unknown etiology. It is characterized by eosinophilic infiltration of the bowel wall to a variable depth and symptoms associated with gastrointestinal tract. Recently, the authors experienced a case of eosinophilic gastroenteritis presenting as small bowel obstruction. A 51-year old woman was admitted to our hospital complaining of abdominal pain and vomiting. Physical examination revealed a distended abdomen with diffuse tenderness. Complete blood count showed mild leukocytosis without eosinophilia. Computed tomography confirmed a dilatation of the small intestine with ascites. An emergency laparotomy was performed for a diagnosis of peritonitis due to intestinal obstruction. Segmental resection of the ileum and end to end anastomosis were performed. Histologically, there was a dense infiltration of eosinophils throughout the entire thickness of ileal wall and eosinophilic enteritis was diagnosed. The patient recovered well, and was free from gastrointestinal symptoms at the time when we reported her disease.     

Eosinophilic cholecystitis caused by Ascaris lumbricoides

Eosinophilic cholecystitis is caused by the accumulation of eosinophils in the gallbladder wall and diagnosis is usually made based on histopahologic studies. The purpose of this paper is to comment on a case report published in World 3 GaslToenterol 2007 .July; 13 （27）： 3760-3762, about eosinophilic cholecystitis along with pericarditis without histopathological studies, which are considered necessary for its diagnosis.     

Tc-99m ciprofloxacin imaging in acute cholecystitis

AIM: To evaluate the eff icacy of a new nuclear imaging Infecton (Tc-99m ciprofloxacin) for the diagnosis of acute cholecystitis. METHODS: Sixteen patients thought to have acute cholecystitis were included in this study. The diagnosis of acute cholecystitis was made based on clinical symptoms and ultrasonographic and pathologic f indings. RESULTS: The 16 patients were composed of 12 acute and 4 chronic cholecystitis patients. Twelve patients with acute cholecystitis were image-positive, including one false-positive. Four patients with chronic cholecystitis were image-negative, of whom three were true-negative. This nuclear imaging had a sensitivity of 91.7%, a specificity of 75%, a positive-predictive value of 91.7%, and a negative-predictive value of 75%. CONCLUSION: Tc-99m ciprofloxacin imaging is easy to perform and applicable for the diagnosis of acute cholecystitis.     

A case of eosinophilic cholangitis： Imaging findings of contrast-enhanced ultrasonography, cholangioscopy, and intraductal ultrasonography

A 38-year-old woman was referred to our institution due to epigastralgia. She presented with obstructive jaundice and eosinophilia. Endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography showed diffuse narrowing from the distal common bile duct to the bifurcation of the hepatic ducts. An endoscopic plastic biliary stent was inserted; the specimen obtained from the common bile duct wall revealed dense infiltration by eosinophils. Treatment was started with prednisolone 60 mg daily. The patient＇s biliary stenosis and eosinophilia gradually improved. Eosinophilic infiltration in the lungs or stomach is relatively common, but it is rare in the common bile duct. Most of the reported cases of eosinophilic cholangitis presented with eosinophilia; our patient＇s eosinophil count was over 1000/mm^3. Since our patient had allergies to pollen and house dust, a relationship between the allergies and the eosinophilic cholangitis was suspected, but no cause was identified.     

Eosinophilic gastroenteritis with ascites and hepatic dysfunction

Eosinophilic gastroenteritis is a rare gastrointestinal disorder with eosinophilic infiltration of the gastrointestinal wall and various gastrointestinal dysfunctions. Diagnosis requires a high index of suspicion and exclusion of various disorders that are associated with peripheral eosinophilia. We report a case of eosinophilic gastroenteritis, which had features of the predominant subserosal type presenting with ascites and hepatic dysfunction, and which responded to a course of low-dose steroid.     

Inflammatory pseudotumor of the liver and peripheral eosinophilia in autoimmune pancreatitis

AIM: Inflammatory pseudotumor (IPT) of the liver is a rare benign lesion, the etiology of which remains obscure. It is not associated with any particular diseases apart from phlebitis and Crohn's disease. METHODS: A middle-aged male with hepatic IPT and peripheral eosinophilia associated with autoimmune pancreatitis (AIP) was selected for this study and review of literature. RESULTS: A 59-year-old male was admitted with obstructive jaundice, marked eosinophilia (1 343/mm3) and hypergammaglobulinemia (4 145 mg/dL). Imaging techniques revealed dilatation of the intrahepatic bile duct, stenosis of the common bile duct with diffuse wall thickening, gallbladder wall thickening, irregular narrowing of the pancreatic duct, and swelling of the pancreatic parenchyma. Multiple liver masses were also demonstrated and diagnosed as IPT by biopsy specimens. Six months later, the abnormal features of the biliary tree remarkably improved by the oral administration of prednisolone, and the liver masses disappeared. The swelling of the pancreatic head also improved. The peripheral eosinophil count normalized. IPT associated with AIP, as we know, has not been reported in the literature. The clinical features of the present case mimicked those of pancreatic cancer with liver metastasis. This case deserves to be documented to prevent misdiagnosis of similar cases.     

Endoscopic transpapillary gallbladder drainage with replacement of a covered self-expandable metal stent

Endoscopic self-expandable metal stent (SEMS) placement has become a standard palliative therapy for pa- tients with malignant biliary obstruction. Acute cholecystitis after SEMS placement is a serious complication. We report a patient with an acute cholecystitis after covered SEMS placement, who was managed successfully with endoscopic transpapillary gallbladder drainage (ETGBD) and replacement of the covered SEMS. An 85-year-old man with pancreatic cancer suffered from acute cholecystitis after covered SEMS placement. It was impossible to perform percutaneous transhepatic gallbladder drainage. After removal of the covered SEMS with a snare, a 7Fr double pigtail stent was placed between the gallbladder and duodenum, subsequently followed by another covered SEMS insertion into the common bile duct beside the gallbladder stent. The cholecystitis improved immediately after ETGBD. ETGBD with replacement of the covered SEMS thus proved to be effective for treatment of patients with acute cholecystitis after covered SEMS placement.     

A case of hypereosinophilic syndrome exhibiting left ventricular systolic dysfunction]

A 16-year-old woman suffering from bronchial asthma since 2 years previously was admitted to the hospital because of high grade fever, dyspnea, skin eruption and arthralgia. Laboratory data revealed pronounced eosinophilia with elevated immunoglobulin E value. A chest X-ray film showed cardiomegaly with pulmonary congestion. Left ventriculograms showed diffusely reduced motion of the left ventricle (LV). Various clinical symptoms and laboratory data were resolved shortly after the administration of corticosteroids, but the LV dysfunction persisted for at least three months. Left ventriculograms 2 years later disclosed a marked improvement of the LV wall motion. In both the acute and the chronic phase, endomyocardial biopsy of both ventricles revealed non-specific histological findings comprising disarrangement of myocytes and interstitial fibrosis, suggesting post-myocarditis. This case was characterized by LV dysfunction possibly due to eosinophilic myocarditis associated with hypereosinophilic syndrome, and by its functional improvement with long-term corticosteroid therapy.     

Eosinophilic pneumonia and respiratory failure associated with venlafaxine treatment.

Drugs are well known causes of eosinophilic lung disease. In many patients, symptoms increase slowly, pulmonary infiltrates and eosinophilia progress over weeks, and resolve upon withdrawal of the offending agent. Rarely, the disease presents like acute eosinophilic pneumonia with acute onset of symptoms and rapidly progressing infiltrates which may be associated with respiratory failure. This report describe a case of venlafaxine-induced acute eosinophilic pneumonia causing respiratory insufficiency that rapidly resolved upon institution of corticosteroid treatment. This 5-hydroxytryptamine and noradrenaline reuptake inhibitor was previously not known to cause lung or peripheral blood eosinophilia. Considering the increasing use of this class of medication physicians have to be aware of this life-threatening and fully reversible complication.     

Primary sclerosing cholangitis with marked eosinophilic infiltration in the liver

A 16-year-old boy was diagnosed as having primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC), based on retrograde cholangiography showing mixed features of narrowing and dilatation of the common hepatic and intrahepatic bile ducts. However, periductal fibrosis was not observed in the needle biopsy liver specimen. The liver biopsy specimen obtained 11 years previously, at the onset of the disease had disclosed a marked infiltration of eosinophils in the portal tract with eosinophilic catinonic protein immunostaining, with marked eosinophilia (54%) being noted. In Japanese reports, eosinophilia of more than 7% was reported in 13 of 32 (40.6%) PSC patients. However, the early stage of PSC, with marked eosinophilia and eosinophilic infiltration in the liver, such as in the present case, has rarely been reported. The findings in this case suggest that eosinocytes are related to the pathogenesis of PSC.     

Dwarfism and constrictive pericarditis. Apropos of a case of so-called Mulibrey dwarfism with hypereosinophilia]

A child of 10 was admitted to a cardiology unit with adiastole. The marked degree of dwarfism and anatomical features were characteristic of the so-called 'Mulibrey' dwarfism. Surgical intervention confirmed the constrictive pericarditis which is normally found in this condition. Unfortunately, the adiastole persisted which, taking into account the marked eosinophilia, made an associated endomyocardial fibrosis seem likely. The distinctive features of constrictive pericarditis and of the constrictive type of cardiomyopathy are recalled.     

Eosinophilia Associated with Chronic Pancreatitis: An Analysis of 122 Patients with Definite Chronic Pancreatitis

Among 122 patients with chronic pancreatitis, marked eosinophilia (greater than 500 eosinophils/mm3 in the peripheral blood) was observed in 21 cases (17.2%). All of the affected patients were males, and there was no significant difference in the incidence of eosinophilia between patients with alcoholic and nonalcoholic pancreatitis. In the patients with eosinophilia, endocrine pancreatic function was maintained comparatively well, despite marked exocrine pancreatic dysfunction. The eosinophilia of chronic pancreatitis frequently developed in association with severe damage to neighboring organs (pleural effusion, pericarditis, and ascites), as well as in association with pancreatic pseudocyst. Our findings suggest that there is a close correlation between marked eosinophilia and severe tissue injury during acute exacerbations of chronic pancreatitis.     

Endomiocardite de Löffler – a propósito de um caso clínico

Loeffler's endocarditis is an acute form of primary restrictive cardiomyopathy. We report the case of a young woman with pleuritic chest pain associated with fever and hypereosinophilia. She was hospitalized with suspected acute myopericarditis and was treated with aspirin, leading to clinical improvement. Ten days after discharge, she was rehospitalized due to recurrence of chest pain. The echocardiogram showed what appeared to be a mass filling the apex of the right ventricle (RV). She was referred for magnetic resonance imaging, which revealed marked myocardial thickening in the apex of the RV. The patient underwent an endomyocardial biopsy, resulting in a diagnosis of eosinophilic endocarditis. After treatment with prednisolone, all symptoms and the eosinophilia disappeared, and there was complete remission of the RV abnormalities. After three years of follow-up, the patient remains asymptomatic. This case shows that, even without an etiologic diagnosis of eosinophilia, the prognosis for Loeffler's endocarditis can be favorable if treatment is initiated early.     

Early diagnosis based on clinical history and BALF for successful management of smoking-induced acute eosinophilic pneumonia without unnecessary antibiotic usage: a case report

Introduction: Acute eosinophilic pneumonia (AEP) is a rapid onset and severe respiratory illness characterized by acute febrile respiratory insufficiency, eosinophilic infiltration in the lungs and unique findings on chest imaging. Difficulty in differentiating from other respiratory distress caused by community-acquired pneumonia may result in a delayed diagnosis or treatment with empirical antibiotics. Case study: Sixteen-year-old boy who developed AEP with marked eosinophilia in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF, 36.6%), decreased diffusion capacity of the lung for carbon monoxide (62%) and unique radiological findings. Although he initially denied tobacco use, on repeated thorough clinical history questioning, he eventually admitted beginning smoking 19 days before the onset of symptoms with gradually increasing frequency. Results: His symptoms resolved quickly without use of antibiotics after cessation of tobacco and treatment with corticosteroids. Conclusion: Careful clinical history taking regarding tobacco use combined with early examination of BALF and recognition of unique radiological findings are critical for proper management of AEP.