A practical workup for eosinophilia

PREVIEW

Underlying disorders that can cause increased eosinophil count range from simple hay fever to a malignant tumor. In this article, Dr Brigden summarizes where to start in evaluating a patient with this finding and how to proceed cost-effectively. He discusses risks that can be ascertained through history taking (eg, travel, occupational exposure to allergens) and provides lists of likely causes based on the degree of eosinophilia. He also tabulates commonly used drugs capable of precipitating allergic reactions with eosinophilia, characteristics of pulmonary eosinophilic syndromes, and common parasitic infections that might be the culprit.