FORMES-FRUSTES OF CHURG-STRAUSS-SYNDROME

We report 4 cases of Churg-Strauss syndrome (CSS) that occurred in pat ients being treated with corticosteroids for a diagnosis of asthma. On e patient had asthma, eosinophilia, and eosinophilic lymphadenopathy t hat regressed with higher doses of corticosteroids, The second patient had both eosinophilic tissue infiltration and symptoms suggestive of vasculitis, while the remaining two patients had overt vasculitis; in all three, vasculitis developed after tapering or discontinuation of c orticosteroid therapy. Two patients died of their disease, We have lab elled these cases as formes frustes CSS. Our observations suggest that some cases of CSS may be partially or totally suppressed by corticost eroid therapy for asthma for very long periods and that asthmatic subj ects maintained on low-dose corticosteroid therapy or asthmatic subjec ts whose corticosteroid doses are being tapered should be carefully mo nitored for the development of CSS signs and symptoms.