Fulminant idiopathic hypereosinophilic syndrome

FH Ng, HL Kong, WF Ng, KY Lam, CC Chan, CM Chang
Department of Medicine, Ruttonjee Hospital, 266 Queen's Road East, Hong Kong

We report a patient with rapidly fatal idiopathic hypereosinophilic syndrome presenting with tetraparesis and acute congestive heart failure. Post-mortem examination showed extensive myocardial necrosis but no pathology in the brain. The possible mechanisms leading to organ damage and the treatment of this condition are discussed.

Hong Kong Med J 1995;1:150-2

Key words: Eosinophilia; General paralysis; Congestive heart failure; Myocarditis