Remission of feline gastrointestinal eosinophilic sclerosing fibroplasia in a cat treated with corticotherapy

Abstract

Feline Gastrointestinal Eosinophilic Sclerosing Fibroplasia (FGESF) is a rare clinical entity of unknown aetiology. The most defended hypothesis refers to a genetic alteration in the immune response regulation, which results in an exacerbated eosinophilic inflammation. The proposed treatment for FGESF includes immunosuppressive drugs and surgical resection of the lesion. A 2- and- a- half-year old neutered, male, Chartreux cat was diagnosed with FGESF with the presence of a mass in the first duodenal flexure, which was surgically removed and recurred 8 months post-surgery. After using an immunosuppressive treatment for one year, the macroscopic disappearance of the lesion and the complete remission of the clinical signs were achieved. To our knowledge, this is the first description of disappearance of a FGESF lesion located in the gastrointestinal tract after prolonged immunosuppressive treatment. This clinical report highlights the possibility to treat this new feline disease with the exclusive use of immunosuppressive drugs.