Autoimmune Enteropathy: A Rare Cause of Chronic Diarrhea in an Adult Patient

Autoimmune enteropathy is a rare cause of malabsorption usually associated with circulating autoantibodies and predisposition to autoimmune disorders. The diagnosis is based on the following criteria: chronic diarrhea (>6 months), malabsorption, specific histological findings, anti-enterocyte and anti-goblet cell antibodies, and exclusion of similar disorders. We report a case of a 73-year-old woman presenting with severe chronic diarrhea, weight loss, and electrolyte abnormalities. Endoscopy revealed duodenal villous atrophy extending to proximal jejunum, and duodenal biopsies revealed villous blunting, cryptitis with apoptosis, and scattered intraepithelial lymphocytes. Therapeutic management included immunosuppressive treatment with corticosteroids, achieving clinical remission.