Multiple antral ulcers in gastric sarcoid

Abstract

A 33-year-old woman suffered a week of severe epigastric pain and subsequent weight loss. On upper-gastrointestinal endoscopy several superficial ulcers were evident in the antral region. Mucosal biopsies from the ulcers showed epithelial cell granulomas. Even though no hilar lymphadenopathy was present on the chest radiograph and computed tomographic scan, the patient underwent bronchoscopy and transbronchial biopsy, which showed noncaseating epithelial cell granuloma, and bronchoalveolar lavage, which showed a lymphocytic pattern suggestive of sarcoidosis. Reports of gastric involvement in systemic sarcoidosis with no bilateral hilar lymphadenopathy are rare. We believe this is the first report of symptomatic gastric ulcers leading to endoscopic diagnosis of the underlying sarcoidosis.