Multisystemic Sarcoidosis with Early Gastrointestinal Symptoms

• Published in: GE Portuguese journal of gastroenterology Vol. 24; no. 3; pp. 137 - 141
• Main Authors: Mota, Catarina, Ferreira, Carlos, Oliveira, Maria Emília, Santos, João Meneses, Victorino, Rui M.M.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English; Portuguese
• Published: Basel, Switzerland S. Karger AG 01.05.2017; Sociedade Portuguesa de Gastrenterologia
• Subjects: Abdomen; Antibiotics; Biopsy; Case reports; Clinical Case Study; Colon; Colonoscopy; Crohns disease; Endoscopy; Enzymes; Gangrene; GASTROENTEROLOGY & HEPATOLOGY; Hypotheses; Intensive care; Medical imaging; Pain; Sarcoidosis; Gastrointestinal diseases; Sarcoidosis/complications; Crohn’s disease; Crohn's disease; Doença de Crohn; Sarcoidose/complicações; Doenças gastrointestinais
• ISSN: 2341-4545; 2387-1954
• DOI: 10.1159/000450899

Sarcoidosis involving the digestive tract is very rare and requires a strict differential diagnosis with other systemic granulomatous diseases. We present a case of multisystemic granulomatosis involving the stomach and colon, causing initial digestive symptoms. Pulmonary nodules, pleural effusion, ascites, hepatomegaly, splenomegaly, and mesenteric as well as retroperitoneal and axillary lymphadenopathy were subsequently identified. The reticulo-endothelial expression, the hypercalcemia and, above all, a rapid and complete resolution after corticosteroids supported the hypothesis of sarcoidosis involving the digestive tract. A brief review of digestive tract involvement in sarcoidosis and of the distinctive features of sarcoidosis with gastrointestinal involvement and Crohn's disease with a rare form of pleuro-pulmonary involvement is presented.