Bowel perforations in a patient affected by Churg-Strauss syndrome under high-dose steroid treatment: will alternative drugs reduce risk of surgery?

Dario Venditti (1) , Balassone Valerio (1) , Benedetto Ielpo (1) , Oreste Buonomo (1) , Giuseppe Petrella (1)

1 Department of Emergency Surgery, Policlinico Tor Vergata

Churg-Strauss syndrome is a relapsing-remitting vasculitis that frequently involves digestive system. Ischemic perforation of the large bowel is relatively rare and potentially life threatening. We report a case treated with high dose of steroids for a relapsing of Churg-Strauss vasculopathy that underwent emergency surgery for multiple large-bowel perforations. Massive use of steroids is common for controlling relapse of this disease, but this increases the risk of intestinal perforation. A prompt switching to alternative drugs when intestinal tract is involved should be considered in order to prevent surgery.

Mots clés: Churg-Strauss syndrome; Allergic granulomatous angiitis; Intestinal perforation; Steroids

Dario Venditti, Balassone Valerio, Benedetto Ielpo, Oreste Buonomo, Giuseppe Petrella. Bowel perforations in a patient affected by Churg-Strauss syndrome under high-dose steroid treatment: will alternative drugs reduce risk of surgery?. Rheumatology International, 2009, 31 (9), pp.1239-1241. ⟨10.1007/s00296-009-1289-5⟩. ⟨hal-00618199⟩