Eosinophilia Eosinophils are white blood cells that participate in immunologic and allergic events. Common causes of eosinophilia are listed in Table 2. The relative frequency of each cause usually relates to the clinical setting.
For example, parasitic infections are often responsible for eosinophilia in pediatric patients, and drug reactions commonly cause an increased eosinophil count in hospitalized patients. Dermatologists frequently find eosinophilia in patients with skin rashes, and pulmonologists often see elevated numbers of eosinophils in conjunction with pulmonary infiltrates and bronchoallergic reactions.
Other causes of eosinophilia include malignancies, especially those affecting the immune system (Hodgkin’s disease and non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma), and immunologic disorders such as rheumatoid arthritis and periarteritis. Eosinophilia-myalgia syndrome, a disorder associated with dietary supplements of tryptophan, resembles a connective tissue disease with fibrosis of muscle fascial tissue and peripheral eosinophilia.
Comment & Contribute
Comments should be on the topic and should not be abusive. Comments are normally moderated and are reviewed after they are posted.
login
Free Homepages for Doctors
