Condition Lookup
Category:
Immune System and Disorders
Number of Conditions: 3
Hypereosinophilic Syndrome (HES)
Specialty: Hematology
Category: Immune System and Disorders
Symptoms:
fatigue; weight loss; skin rash; itching; cough; shortness of breath; cardiac symptoms like chest pain or heart failure
Root Cause:
Persistent overproduction of eosinophils leading to tissue damage in organs such as the heart, lungs, skin, and gastrointestinal tract.
How it's Diagnosed: videos
Persistent eosinophilia (greater than or equal to 1500/micro L for at least 6 months), clinical evaluation for organ damage, and exclusion of secondary causes like infections or malignancies.
Treatment:
Corticosteroids, immunosuppressive agents, and biologics targeting eosinophils (e.g., mepolizumab).
Medications:
Corticosteroids (e.g., prednisone for inflammation), tyrosine kinase inhibitors like imatinib (for specific molecular subtypes), and biologics like mepolizumab (anti-IL-5 monoclonal antibody).
Prevalence:
How common the health condition is within a specific population.
Rare; incidence is approximately 0.36–0.9 cases per 100,000 per year.
Risk Factors:
Factors or behaviors that increase the likelihood of developing the condition.
Genetic predisposition, male sex, and certain molecular mutations (e.g., PDGFRA rearrangements).
Prognosis:
The expected outcome or course of the condition over time.
Highly variable; manageable with treatment but may be life-threatening without intervention.
Complications:
Additional problems or conditions that may arise as a result of the original condition.
Cardiac complications (e.g., endomyocardial fibrosis), thromboembolism, and organ failure.
Eosinophilia
Specialty: Hematology
Category: Immune System and Disorders
Symptoms:
fatigue; rash; itching; fever; shortness of breath; abdominal pain
Root Cause:
Elevated eosinophil count in the blood or tissues, often due to allergic reactions, parasitic infections, autoimmune diseases, or malignancies.
How it's Diagnosed: videos
Complete blood count (CBC) with differential, evaluation of medical history, imaging studies, and testing for parasitic or autoimmune causes.
Treatment:
Treatment focuses on addressing the underlying cause (e.g., treating infections, managing allergies, or suppressing immune responses).
Medications:
Corticosteroids (e.g., prednisone , to reduce inflammation), antihistamines (for allergic symptoms), and antiparasitic agents (e.g., albendazole , ivermectin , for parasitic infections). Biologics like mepolizumab may be used for refractory cases.
Prevalence:
How common the health condition is within a specific population.
Varies; higher in areas with endemic parasitic infections. Often occurs in individuals with allergies or asthma.
Risk Factors:
Factors or behaviors that increase the likelihood of developing the condition.
Allergic disorders, parasitic infections, autoimmune diseases, exposure to certain medications (e.g., antibiotics, NSAIDs).
Prognosis:
The expected outcome or course of the condition over time.
Depends on the underlying cause; manageable with appropriate treatment but may require ongoing monitoring for chronic or severe cases.
Complications:
Additional problems or conditions that may arise as a result of the original condition.
Organ damage (e.g., heart, lungs, skin) in cases of hypereosinophilic syndrome; increased risk of infections if associated with immune dysfunction.
Kikuchi Disease
Specialty: Hematology
Category: Immune System and Disorders
Symptoms:
fever; lymphadenopathy (swollen lymph nodes); night sweats; fatigue; weight loss
Root Cause:
Self-limiting inflammatory disorder, likely triggered by viral or autoimmune mechanisms, characterized by histiocytic necrotizing lymphadenitis.
How it's Diagnosed: videos
Lymph node biopsy showing characteristic histopathological findings; exclusion of malignancies and infections.
Treatment:
Supportive care; anti-inflammatory medications (e.g., NSAIDs, corticosteroids for severe cases).
Medications:
NSAIDs (e.g., ibuprofen for pain and inflammation), corticosteroids (e.g., prednisone for severe or refractory cases).
Prevalence:
How common the health condition is within a specific population.
Rare; most common in young adults, particularly females, in Asian populations.
Risk Factors:
Factors or behaviors that increase the likelihood of developing the condition.
Viral infections, autoimmune predisposition.
Prognosis:
The expected outcome or course of the condition over time.
Excellent; resolves spontaneously in most cases within 1–6 months.
Complications:
Additional problems or conditions that may arise as a result of the original condition.
Rare but may include recurrence or association with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE).