title: Churg-Strauss syndrome presenting as acute abdomen: are gastrointestinal manifestations an indicator of poor prognosis?
abstract: Churg Strauss syndrome (CSS) is a rare syndrome of vasculitis of the small to medium vessels, characterized by a triad of asthma, eosinophilia and atopic sinusitis. Although asthma is the most common manifestation, it is rarely associated with poor prognosis. Severe gastrointestinal tract manifestations are associated with worse outcomes. Patients with CSS at initial presentation, like our patient, may not meet all four American College of Rheumatology criteria to establish a diagnosis; however, clinicians should have a high index of suspicion to recognize the disease early in its course and treat aggressively, thereby decreasing the mortality and morbidity associated with this disease.
authors.affiliation: Internal Medicine, University of Missouri Kansas City, Kansas City, MO, USA. singhd@umkc.edu
authors.forename: Reetu
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Singh
authors.forename: Dushyant
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Singh
authors.forename: Nabih
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Abdou
mesh_terms: D000006:Abdomen, Acute / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000209:etiology* / Q000473:pathology; D000328:Adult; D002432:Cecum / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology; D015267:Churg-Strauss Syndrome / Q000150:complications* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D009336:Necrosis; D011379:Prognosis; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed