A Rare Form of Chronic Granulomatous Disease (Type Iva) Presenting as Inflammatory Bowel Disease

Abstract

Neutrophil dysfunction syndromes can sometimes mimic the clinical and pathological features of inflammatory bowel disease. The case of a 3.5-year-old boy with chronic diarrhea, abdominal pain, poor growth since infancy and microcytic, hypochromic anemia is presented. After an extensive diagnostic evaluation, he was found to have a rare variant (type IVA) of chronic granulomatous disease. His gastrointestinal symptoms markedly improved during therapy with gamma-interferon. Chronic granulomatous disease can present initially with a clinical picture suggestive of chronic intestinal inflammation. Therefore it should be considered in the differential diagnosis of atypical inflammatory bowel disease, both in children and young adults.