title: A Case of Intestinal Mastocytosis Misdiagnosed as Crohn's Disease.
abstract: Systemic mastocytosis (SM) is a rare, heterogeneous and progressive disease, characterized by the accumulation of atypical mast cells in various organs, including the gastrointestinal tract. Gastrointestinal symptoms are present in up to 80% of patients with SM, the most common being abdominal pain, diarrhea, nausea and vomiting. Up to 50% of patients with SM do not have classical skin lesions at presentation, and in these patients the diagnosis of SM can be difficult for years. Here we report a case of SM that initially mimicked inflammatory bowel disease, although the patient showed poor response to steroid therapy. The right diagnosis was made only on the surgical specimen obtained after emergency surgery for intestinal obstruction. SM should therefore be considered in the diagnostic approach in patients with gastrointestinal symptoms not attributable to other pathologies and in cases of suspected inflammatory bowel disease with unusual course.
authors.affiliation: Division of Gastroenterology, AOU Città della Salute e della Scienza di Torino, University of Turin, Turin, Italy.
authors.forename: Stefania
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Reggiani
authors.affiliation: Division of Gastroenterology, AOU Città della Salute e della Scienza di Torino, University of Turin, Turin, Italy.
authors.forename: Loretta
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Cosso
authors.affiliation: Division of Gastroenterology, AOU Città della Salute e della Scienza di Torino, University of Turin, Turin, Italy.
authors.forename: Alessandro
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Adriani
authors.affiliation: Division of Gastroenterology, AOU Città della Salute e della Scienza di Torino, University of Turin, Turin, Italy.
authors.forename: Stefano
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Pantaleoni
authors.affiliation: Division of Gastroenterology, AOU Città della Salute e della Scienza di Torino, University of Turin, Turin, Italy.
authors.forename: Alessandro
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Risso
authors.affiliation: Division of Anatomical Pathology, AOU Città della Salute e della Scienza di Torino, University of Turin, Turin, Italy.
authors.forename: Federico
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Vittone
authors.affiliation: Division of Anatomical Pathology, AOU Città della Salute e della Scienza di Torino, University of Turin, Turin, Italy.
authors.forename: Luigi
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Chiusa
authors.affiliation: Division of Gastroenterology, AOU Città della Salute e della Scienza di Torino, University of Turin, Turin, Italy.
authors.forename: Nicoletta
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Sapone
authors.affiliation: Division of Gastroenterology, AOU Città della Salute e della Scienza di Torino, University of Turin, Turin, Italy.
authors.forename: Marco
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Astegiano
keywords: Crohn's disease; Differential diagnosis; Gastrointestinal symptoms; Systemic mastocytosis