Blood eosinophilia: a new paradigm in disease classification, diagnosis, and treatment

Case report: Rare benign obstructive disease of the biliary tract-a rare case of eosinophilic cholangitis

Objective

Eosinophilic cholangitis (EC) is an uncommon form of benign biliary obstruction. It frequently eludes accurate clinical diagnosis, leading to inappropriate treatment methods. It is our aspiration that this clinical report will impart comprehensive insights into EC and, specifically, the critical role of tomographic examination.

Case summary

A 34-year-old man was urgently admitted to the hospital due to excruciating abdominal distress persisting for several hours. Following a six-day course of anti-inflammatory therapy, his symptoms displayed marginal improvement, prompting his discharge. He returned to the hospital a month later for re-examination on doctor's orders. Based on the results of the re-examination, the patient refused steroid hormone shock therapy and subsequently underwent laparoscopic left-lateral hepatic lobectomy in order to confirm the diagnosis. The preoperative absolute counts of eosinophils in the peripheral blood were documented as 2.3 × 109/L, 3.06 × 109/L, and 1.50 × 109/L consecutively; concurrently, the corresponding percentages of eosinophils were quantified at levels of 21.90%, 30.70%, and 19.20%. The subsequent postoperative pathological assessment unveiled EC as the definitive diagnosis. The patient has since remained free from disease recurrence and is presently alive.

Conclusion

When encountering a patient presenting with persistent elevation in absolute eosinophil count in peripheral blood, coupled with imaging manifestations suggestive of intrahepatic periductal inflammation, diagnosis of EC should be highly suspected. The most optimal diagnostic and therapeutic workflow for EC could entail CT-guided liver lesion biopsy, ensued by glucocorticoid pulse therapy, and finally, short-term monitoring utilizing CT or MRI (including T1WI, T2WI, DWI, CEMRI) techniques.

Long-term outcomes of ocular adnexal lesions in IgG4-related ophthalmic disease

Aims

To determine the long-term outcomes of ocular adnexal lesions in immunoglobulin G4-related ophthalmic disease (IgG4-ROD).

Methods

This retrospective, non-randomised exploratory study included 82 patients with ocular adnexal lesions. We evaluated the long-term outcomes in 71 patients during the median follow-up period of 30 months, who underwent either watchful waiting (n=20; range 12–90 months) or systemic corticosteroid treatment, delivered according to consensus guidelines (n=51; range 9– 115 months). We also analysed factors that might contribute to recalcitrance to treatment.

Results

Of 82 patients, 40 (49%) were male, and the median patient age was 60 years old. Twenty-one (26%) patients with extraocular muscle (EOM) and/or trigeminal nerve branch (CN V) enlargements had a significantly high frequency of multiple ocular adnexal lesions (p<0.0001, Fisher’s exact test). In addition, two patients developed EOM and/or CN V enlargements de novo over time. Twenty patients with solitary lacrimal gland enlargements preferred watchful waiting, due to mild symptoms. Of these, 18 (90%) lesions remained dormant throughout a median follow-up of 27 months. Among 51 patients treated with corticosteroids, 31 (61%) experienced relapses after treatment and required systemic low-dose maintenance treatment. A multivariate analysis indicated that EOM and/or CN V enlargements comprised a risk factor for relapse (HR 2.7; 95% CI 1.1 to 6.7).

Conclusions

This exploratory study showed that different types of ocular adnexal lesions in IgG4-ROD displayed distinct proliferative activities. Our results suggested that EOM and/or CN V enlargements might be secondary lesions that confer refractoriness to systemic corticosteroid treatment recommended by consensus guidelines.

Eosinophilic gastroenteritis: Approach to diagnosis and management

Eosinophilic gastroenteritis (EGE) is a rare and benign inflammatory disorder that predominantly affects the stomach and the small intestine. The disease is divided into three subtypes (mucosal, muscular and serosal) according to klein’s classification, and its manifestations are protean, depending on the involved intestinal segments and layers. Hence, accurate diagnosis of EGE poses a significant challenge to clinicians, with evidence of the following three criteria required: Suspicious clinical symptoms, histologic evidence of eosinophilic infiltration in the bowel and exclusion of other pathologies with similar findings. In this review, we designed and applied an algorithm to clarify the steps to follow for diagnosis of EGE in clinical practice. The management of EGE represents another area of debate. Prednisone remains the mainstay of treatment; however the disease is recognized as a chronic disorder and one that most frequently follows a relapsing course that requires maintenance therapy. Since prolonged steroid treatment carries of risk of serious adverse effects, other options with better safety profiles have been proposed; these include budesonide, dietary restrictions and steroid-sparing agents, such as leukotriene inhibitors, azathioprine, anti-histamines and mast-cell stabilizers. Single cases or small case series have been reported in the literature for all of these options, and we provide in this review a summary of these various therapeutic modalities, placing them within the context of our novel algorithm for EGE management according to disease severity upon presentation.

Synovial fluid eosinophilia: a case series with a long follow-up and literature review

OBJECTIVES

To establish the frequency and describe the characteristics of a cohort of patients with SF eosinophilia (SFE) and a long clinical follow-up. A systematic review of the literature on this topic was performed.

METHODS

From November 2005 to May 2010, 982 consecutive arthrocentesis procedures performed at a tertiary care hospital were reviewed. Clinical and analytical data of patients with SFE at the time of diagnosis and during follow-up until 31 January 2012, were recorded. According to the percentage of eosinophils in SF, SFE was classified as minor (<10%) or major (>10%). Also, a literature search of all publications on eosinophilic synovitis found in MEDLINE, EMBASE and Web of Science without publication date restrictions was performed.

RESULTS

Eosinophils in SF were found in 10 of 982 (1.02%) patients: minor SFE was recorded in three patients, all of them with haemorrhagic fluid and without peripheral eosinophilia. Major SFE was found in seven patients, and only two of them had peripheral eosinophilia. In six patients, an underlying cause of the arthritis was found. Only one patient was classified as having idiopathic SFE. Most SFE promptly resolved with NSAIDs without relapses or new deformities. The literature search identified 56 patients with SFE; 49 of them (88%) had major SFE and 7 (12%) had minor SFE.

CONCLUSIONS

Eosinophils are infrequently found in SF, and in most cases peripheral eosinophilia was not detected. Most patients with SFE had a benign course with prompt resolution and few relapses.

Serum immunoglobulin levels as a predictive factor for a better outcome of non-atopic childhood asthma

Childhood asthma is a heterogeneous condition with different phenotypes. Hereby, we aimed to study impact of serum immunoglobulin levels on clinical phenotypes and outcome of asthma. Seventy-eight children (M: 26, F: 52) aged less than 10 yrs (mean = 8.56 ± 3.23 yrs) and diagnosed as mild-moderate persistent asthma, followed up for at least 1 yr were included into the study. Asthmatic children were divided into two groups based on serum immunoglobulin levels at admission and were evaluated with respect to demographic data, allergic sensitization, symptom scores, medication usage, pulmonary functions, and non-specific bronchial hyper-reactivity. The age at onset of symptoms (40.88 ± 32.02 vs. 23.04 ± 26.97 months) was significantly younger in children with hypogammaglobulinemia (n = 28) compared to normogammaglobulinemia group (n = 50) (p = 0.016). Mean follow-up duration was 3.8 ± 2.1 yrs. Atopic sensitization rate was higher in those with normal immunoglobulin levels (81.2% vs. 17.9%), (p < 0.0001). Normal serum immunoglobulin levels were associated with atopic asthma (OR, 4.5; 95% confidence interval (CI): 2.0-10.1). For the prediction of atopic asthma, having normal immunoglobulin levels yielded predictive values of: sensitivity = 88.6%, specificity = 71.8%, positive predictive value = 81.1%, negative predictive value = 82.1%. Furthermore, percentages of atopic dermatitis and allergic conjunctivitis, elevated serum total IgE levels, eosinophilia, and bronchial hyper-reactivity were more common in normogammaglobulinemia with asthma group (p = 0.040, p = 0.003, p = 0.024, p = 0.030, p = 0.040, respectively). Although marked reductions in asthma scores and inhaled corticosteroid usage were observed in both groups over time, the rate of decline was significantly higher and earlier in hypogammaglobulinemia group (p = 0.0001, p = 0.004, respectively). In conclusion, asthmatic children with hypogammaglobulinemia presented at an earlier age, with lower rates of atopy, and earlier clinical improvement accompanied with earlier discontinuation of inhaled corticosteroids than children with normal immunoglobulin levels. Our data demonstrated that in children currently named as early-onset non-atopic asthma, hypogammaglobulinemia might be accompanying, providing evidence for a different phenotype of childhood asthma.

Atopic characteristics of adult patients with eosinophilic esophagitis

BACKGROUND & AIMS

The association of sensitization to food allergens, atopic disorders, and eosinophilic esophagitis (EE) is well known in children, but not in adults. Our purpose was to identify the spectrum of specific allergic sensitivities to environmental and food allergens within a series of adult patients with EE.

METHODS

The case series consisted of 23 adult patients with biopsy-proven EE referred for allergy evaluation at an academic clinic. All patients had data that included serum measurement of specific immunoglobulin (Ig)E antibodies to common foods and spices. Patients diagnosed with allergic rhinitis had a relevant clinical history of respiratory allergy and evidence of specific IgE to environmental aeroallergens.

RESULTS

The series consisted of 16 men and 7 women with a median age of 34 years (range, 18-57 y). Eighteen of 23 had an atopic diathesis, allergic rhinitis being the most common. Seventeen of 21 patients were polysensitized to several different environmental allergens, and 19 of 23 (82%) had serum IgE specific for one or more food-associated allergens (median, 5 foods), with wheat, tomato, carrot, and onion identified most commonly. The preponderance of environmental and food allergy was similar across all age groups and did not favor younger adults.

CONCLUSIONS

By using objective measures, our series confirms the high degree of atopy in adults with EE, similar to that seen in the pediatric population. These patients tend to be polysensitized to several environmental allergens, and the profiles of serum IgE specific for food allergens suggest that sensitization may partly be a response to inhaled allergens.

Classification of chronic myeloid disorders: From Dameshek towards a semi-molecular system

Hematological malignancies are phenotypically organized into lymphoid and myeloid disorders, although such a distinction might not be precise from the standpoint of lineage clonality. In turn, myeloid malignancies are broadly categorized into either acute myeloid leukemia (AML) or chronic myeloid disorder (CMD), depending on the presence or absence, respectively, of AML-defining cytomorphologic and cytogenetic features. The CMD are traditionally classified by their morphologic appearances into discrete clinicopathologic entities based primarily on subjective technologies. It has now become evident that most CMD represent clonal stem cell processes where the primary oncogenic event has been characterized in certain instances; Bcr/Abl in chronic myeloid leukemia, FIP1L1-PDGFRA or c-kit(D816V) in systemic mastocytosis, rearrangements of PDGFRB in chronic eosinophilic leukemia, and rearrangements of FGFR1 in stem cell leukemia/lymphoma syndrome. In addition, Bcr/Abl-negative classic myeloproliferative disorders are characterized by recurrent JAK2(V617F) mutations, whereas other mutations affecting the RAS signaling pathway molecules have been associated with juvenile myelomonocytic leukemia. Such progress is paving the way for a transition from a histologic to a semi-molecular classification system that preserves conventional terminology, while incorporating new information on molecular pathogenesis.

How to interpret and pursue an abnormal complete blood cell count in adults

A complete blood cell count (CBC) is one of the most common laboratory tests in medicine. For example, at our institution alone, approximately 1800 CBCs are ordered every day, and 10% to 20% of results are reported as abnormal. Therefore, it is in every clinician's interest to have some understanding of the specific test basics as well as a structured action plan when confronted with abnormal CBC results. In this article, we provide practical diagnostic algorithms that address frequently encountered conditions associated with CBC abnormalities including anemia, thrombocytopenia, leukopenia, polycythemia, thrombocytosis, and leukocytosis. The objective is to help the nonhematologist recognize when a subspecialty consultation is reasonable and when it may be circumvented, thus allowing a cost-effective and intellectually rewarding practice.