Provide a valuable resource to your clients or customers by linking to this resource page. Just place the following link on your website.
Hypereosinophilic syndrome (HES) is a group of rare blood disorders. It is defined by having a very high number of "eosinophils" in your blood for a long time. Eosinophils are a type of white blood cell that helps fight infections and allergies. In HES, the body makes way too many of them, and they can cause damage to your organs.
read more about hypereosinophilic syndrome ...Doctors do not always know the exact cause. In some cases, it is caused by a problem in the bone marrow that makes it produce too many eosinophils. In other cases, it can be a reaction to an underlying problem, like a hidden parasitic infection or certain types of cancer. For many people, a specific cause is never found.
The symptoms of HES can affect the whole body and are different for everyone. This is because the extra eosinophils can travel to and damage any organ. Common symptoms include skin rashes or itching, a cough or trouble breathing (if it affects the lungs), and feeling very tired. Some people may also have belly pain, nerve pain, or heart problems.
A doctor will diagnose HES with a blood test. This test will show the very high level of eosinophils in your blood. The doctor will then do more tests to see if the high numbers are caused by a simple allergy or an infection. They will also do tests, like an echocardiogram (heart ultrasound) or CT scan, to see if the eosinophils are causing any damage to your organs.
There is no single cure, so treatment is focused on lowering the number of eosinophils in your blood to stop the organ damage. The most common first treatment is usually a steroid medicine, like prednisone. For people with more serious forms of the disease, other medicines, including a type of chemotherapy, may be used to control the cell production.
The most concerning complication of HES is damage to the heart. The excess eosinophils release toxins that can cause scarring, or fibrosis, on the inner lining of the heart. Over time, this scarring can stiffen the heart muscle and prevent it from pumping blood effectively. Because this damage can be permanent, doctors prioritize checking heart function regularly with imaging tests.
Not always, but it can be. Some forms of HES are caused by a problem in the bone marrow that is similar to leukemia. Other forms are not cancerous at all. A doctor must do tests to find out which type a person has.
Yes. If it is not treated, the organ damage, especially to the heart, can be very serious and life-threatening. With treatment, most people can manage the condition.
Eosinophilia simply refers to having a higher-than-normal number of eosinophils, which often happens temporarily due to allergies or minor infections. HES is a distinct syndrome where these levels stay critically high for six months or longer without a clear cause and result in damage to the body's organs.
You should see a doctor if you have unexplained symptoms like severe skin rashes, a long-lasting cough or wheezing, or constant, extreme fatigue. A doctor can run blood tests to check for any serious problems. If you are diagnosed with HES, you will need to see a blood specialist, called a hematologist.