Menetrier's disease presenting as an acute protein-losing gastroenteropathy in a 27-year-old man with Gaucher disease.

OBJECTIVES

To describe a unique case of a young man with Gaucher disease who was diagnosed with Menetrier's disease.

BACKGROUND

After an acute episode of severe gastritis, the patient developed hypoalbuminemia and protein-losing gastroenteropathy, and became unwell.

STUDY: Endoscopy revealed an abnormal stomach, with rigid, thickened folds covered with viscous greyish exudates. Superficial biopsies revealed foveolar hyperplasia, acute and severe gastritis with massive inflammatory infiltrate of neutrophils in the lamina propria with pit abscess formation. Tissue cultures for Helicobacter pylori were negative.

RESULTS

Snare deep particle biopsy revealed the typical features of Menetrier's disease. Enzyme replacement therapy for Gaucher disease was started.

CONCLUSION

This case poses a dilemma because the patient improved spontaneously, and as such is dissimilar to other adults who develop Menetrier's disease because of an infection; it is hoped that he may also not be at risk of the potential malignancies that are correlated with adult Menetrier's disease. The value of enzyme treatment is considered.