Eosinophilic Gastrointestinal Disorders

A group of disorders that are characterized by the presence of a particular type of white blood cell (eosinophils) in the esophagus, the stomach, the small intestines or the large intestines; inflammation; and a variety symptoms (which vary depending on the site of the eosinophilic infiltration) including nausea or vomiting, diarrhea, failure to thrive, abdominal or chest pain, reflux that does not respond to usual therapies, difficulty swallowing, food impactions, delayed emptying of the stomach, poor appetite, bloating, anemia, blood in the stool, malnutrition and difficulty sleeping. Eosinophilic disorders can mimic the symptoms of other diseases like inflammatory bowel disease, food allergies, irritable bowel syndrome and reflux; and are generally only confirmed following an endoscopic evaluation and biopsy of affected tissue.