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Gastrointestinal type 1 hypersensitivity to azathioprine

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Summary

We report the case of a 49-year-old patient with progressive sensomotor polyneuropathy who developed nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea after 21/2 months of azathioprine therapy. Administration of the drug was interrupted. These symptoms recurred immediately after rechallenge with azathioprine. A duodenal biopsy demonstrated a massive local eosiniphilia without peripheral blood eosinophilia. Cutane testing with azathioprine showed a positive type 1 reaction. We diagnosed a hypersensitive reaction type 1 in the duodenal mucosa on the basis of the histological features, the history, and the cutane reaction.

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Abbreviations

PNP:

polyneuropathy

%g/dl:

1/100 g in 100 ccm

H&E:

hematoxilin and eosin

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Universitäts-Nervenklinik, Bonn

    R. -R. Riedel & A. Hartmann

  2. Dermatologische Universitäts-Klinik, Bonn

    A. Schmitt

  3. Pathologisches Institut des Städtischen Krankenhauses Köln, Deutschland

    J. P. A. de Jonge

Authors
  1. R. -R. Riedel
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  2. A. Schmitt
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  3. J. P. A. de Jonge
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  4. A. Hartmann
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Riedel, R.R., Schmitt, A., de Jonge, J.P.A. et al. Gastrointestinal type 1 hypersensitivity to azathioprine. Klin Wochenschr 68, 50–52 (1990). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01648893

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01648893

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