title: A mysterious case of gastroparesis: could the secret be found in a drink?
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Gastroparesis is a disorder characterized by delayed gastric emptying of a meal in the absence of a mechanical gastric outlet obstruction. Idiopathic gastroparesis is at least as common as diabetic gastroparesis in most case series, and the true prevalence of gastroparesis is unknown.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We report here an interesting case of idiopathic gastroparesis characterized by sudden onset in a female patient. The diagnosis was confirmed by ultrasonographic study of gastric emptying and electrogastrography, by gastric endoscopy/histology, and finally by allergy tests. The disorder was found to be due to a rare cause, namely an allergic predisposition. In fact, our patient, who demonstrated an allergy to gold salts, had drunk a glass of a liqueur containing gold flakes and developed an eosinophilic aggregation in the gastric mucosa observed at gastric endoscopy/histology. The symptoms disappeared after steroid administration.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our experience suggests that gastric histology and close enquiry into any history of allergy may be useful diagnostic tools in cases of idiopathic gastroparesis.
authors.affiliation: Gastroenterology Section, Department of Emergency and Organ Transplantation, University of Bari, 70121 Bari, Italy. b.principi@gmail.com
authors.forename: Mariabeatrice
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Principi
authors.forename: Ranaldo
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Nunzio
authors.forename: Giuseppe
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Ingravallo
authors.forename: Giuseppe
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Riezzo
authors.forename: Elisabetta
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Damiani
authors.forename: Antonio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ferrannini
authors.forename: Roberta
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Rossi
authors.forename: Leonardo
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Resta
authors.forename: Enzo
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Ierardi
authors.forename: Alfredo
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Di Leo
mesh_terms: D000434:Alcoholic Beverages / Q000009:adverse effects; D000485:Allergens / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000276:immunology / Q000648:ultrastructure; D016145:Endoscopy, Digestive System; D004804:Eosinophils / Q000276:immunology*; D005260:Female; D005753:Gastric Mucosa / Q000276:immunology*; D005759:Gastroenteritis / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000209:etiology / Q000276:immunology; D006046:Gold / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000737:chemistry / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D006967:Hypersensitivity / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000276:immunology; D008854:Microscopy, Electron; D008875:Middle Aged; D010586:Phagocytes / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000648:ultrastructure
chemical_list: D000485:Allergens; D006046:Gold