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[Bronchial obstruction and the ideopathic hyper-eosinophilic syndrome]
A Boignard1, M Fior-Gozlan, R Gressin
1Unité de Pneumologie, Département de Médecine Aiguë Spécialisée, Hôpital A. Michallon, CHU de Grenoble, Université J. Fourier, Grenoble, France.
Revue Des Maladies Respiratoires
|August 6, 2002
Summary
Idiopathic hypereosinophilic syndrome (HES) is a rare condition involving high eosinophil counts and organ damage. This case highlights HES presenting as asthma due to bronchial eosinophilic infiltration.
Area of Science:
- Hematology
- Pulmonology
- Immunology
Background:
- Idiopathic hypereosinophilic syndrome (HES) is defined by persistent peripheral blood eosinophilia (>1.5 x 10^9/L for ≥6 months) with visceral involvement.
- HES is a diagnosis of exclusion, requiring thorough investigation to rule out other causes of eosinophilia.
- Commonly associated visceral manifestations include neurological, digestive, dermatological, cardiac, and pleuro-pulmonary involvement.
Observation:
- Asthma is a rarely reported manifestation of HES.
- This study presents a unique case of HES initially presenting as asthma.
Findings:
- The asthma symptoms were attributed to eosinophilic infiltration of the bronchial mucosa.
- Cytological examination of induced sputum confirmed the presence of eosinophils in the airways.
Implications:
- This case expands the known clinical spectrum of HES, emphasizing its potential to mimic other respiratory conditions.
- Highlights the importance of considering HES in refractory asthma cases with eosinophilic features.
- Suggests that induced sputum cytology can be a valuable diagnostic tool for identifying bronchial eosinophilia in HES.