A 20-year old man of Balkan descent presented to the emergency department with abdominal pain and constipation of several days‘ duration. On clinical examination, he was afebrile and normotensive. The abdomen was distended with reduced bowel sounds. Laboratory investigations were significant for hyponatraemia (129 mmol/l) and elevated aminotransferases in the double digits; inflammatory markers were normal. Abdominal ultrasound was unrevealing as to a specific cause but meteorism was noted. Cortisol response to an adrenocorticotrophic hormone stimulation test was normal.
