EOSINOPHILIC MYOSITIS WITH EOSINOPHILIC CELLULITISLIKE SKIN-LESIONS -ASSOCIATION WITH INCREASED SERUM LEVELS OF EOSINOPHIL CATIONIC PROTEIN AND INTERLEUKIN-5

Background: Peripheral and tissue eosinophilia are associated with a g roup of idiopathic inflammatory syndromes. The idiopathic hypereosinop hilic syndrome represents a spectrum of disorders characterized by pro longed eosinophilia of an undetectable cause and significant organ dys function. The pathogenic role of the eosinophil in these conditions is attested to by evidence of eosinophil activation and degranulation at sites of tissue injury. Recently, an overlapping range of idiopathic eosinophilic muscle disease with an overall good prognosis has been de scribed. Results: We describe a patient with a syndrome of idiopathic myositis with eosinophilia and eosinophilic cellulitislike cutaneous m anifestations. Histopathological studies of the skin and muscle reveal ed eosinophilic infiltration. Elevated serum levels of eosinophilic ca tionic protein and interleukin-5 paralleling disease activity were det ected. Conclusions: This patient demonstrates clinical and laboratory features of eosinophilic myositis with eosinophilic cellulitislike ski n lesions. The elevated serum levels of interleukin-5 and eosinophilic cationic protein may be responsible for the eosinophilia and tissue i njury, respectively. With the advances in our understanding of cytokin e-dependent regulatory mechanisms governing the eosinophil reaction, m ore targeted ways of manipulating eosinophilia as well as the entry an d activation of eosinophils within specific tissues can be expected.