Elevated eosinophils: causes

Eosinophils are a subspecies of white blood cells (leukocytes) that help our body fight diseases and infections by "eating" certain types of bacteria, alien substances, parasites and other "enemies" of the body. But if they are so useful, then why are elevated eosinophils perceived by doctors as something wrong? Let's try to answer this question.

Elevated eosinophils: frequent causes

Increased eosinophils in the blood (this condition is called eosinophilia) Can be the response of the body to allergies. Their number can increase at a time when there are any bacteria or parasites in the body. Eosinophils in the blood can increase if a person has some types of skin disorders, such as pemphigus, which causes blisters on the body.

Elevated eosinophils can also be a consequence of diseases that lead to an increase in the myeloid tissue found in the bone marrow. One of these diseases is the true polycythemia - with it in the blood increases the number of red bodies and other blood cells. Another disease is myelofibrosis, in which the myeloid tissue in the bone marrow is replaced by fibroblasts.

Some types of medications increase the level of this leukocyte. These can be penicillin, aspirin, diphenhydramine, imipramine, beta-blockers and many other drugs.

Elevated eosinophils: rare diseases

A number of collagen vascular diseases can lead to an increase in eosinophils. This is a group of acquired diseases that completely affect the blood vessels and connective tissue. Also, elevated eosinophils are detected if a person has eosinophilic gastroenteritis, a very rare disease. With it, eosinophils are thrown out into the small intestine and appear in the stool.

There is another swamping - sarcoidosis. Eosinophils above the norm can also be a consequence of this disease. Sarcoidosis is a condition in which small knobs form on the airways on the tissues.

The Löffler syndrome also leads to an increase in eosinophils. The disease manifests itself in the form of cough and fever with such further deterioration as respiratory failure.

Addison's disease also leads to an increase in the number of eosinophils. This disease, because of which the adrenal glands do not produce hormones at all or produce too little.

This list is by no means complete. Elevated eosinophils also occur in atopic (for example, bronchial asthma), parasitic (fascioliasis, ankylostomiasis, etc.), non-atopic cutaneous (eg, bullous epidermolysis), gastrointestinal (like cirrhosis), rheumatic (rheumatoid arthritis, etc.) .), Hematological (acute leukemia, pernicious anemia, etc.) diseases. Diseases of the mixed group: hypoxia, splenectomy, chorea and others.

Therefore, the analysis of the level of eosinophils is so important for doctors. It helps to identify one of the above and many other diseases and conditions of the body.