Organ-specific eosinophilic disorders of the skin, lung, and gastrointestinal tract.

Eosinophils are multifunctional leukocytes that increase in various tissues in patients with a variety of disorders. Locally, they can be involved in the initiation and propagation of diverse inflammatory responses. In this review the clinical association of eosinophils with diseases of the skin, lung, and gastrointestinal tract is summarized. An approach to determining the causal role of eosinophils in these diseases is presented. Recent findings concerning molecular diagnosis, cause, and treatment are discussed. Copyright 2010 American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology. Published by Mosby, Inc. All rights reserved.