Chronic hepatitis in hypereosinophilic syndrome: report of an unusual case.

Hypereosinophilic syndrome has been reported to be associated with hepatic dysfunction; liver histology is mainly characterized by a diffuse eosinophilic inflammatory infiltrate. A 28-yr-old woman, affected by idiopathic hypereosinophilic syndrome with bone marrow and pulmonary eosinophilic infiltrates associated with peripheral eosinophilia, developed features of chronic hepatitis without a significant eosinophil component. She responded favourably to systemic glucocorticoid therapy with normalization of liver function tests within a few weeks. This observation could support the hypothesis that liver damage in idiopathic hypereosinophilic syndrome may be due to circulating substances produced by eosinophils rather than direct infiltration of liver by these inflammatory cells.