Anti-eosinophil therapy shown to be effective in treating hypereosinophili...( Anti-eosinophil therapy is a safe and e...),Health

Anti-eosinophil therapy is a safe and effective way to treat patients with hypereosinophilic syndromes, according to new research published in the January 2004 Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology (JACI). The JACI is the peer-reviewed scientific journal of the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology (AAAAI).

Hypereosinophilic syndromes are a group of disorders characterized by excessive numbers of eosinophils, a type of white blood cell, which accumulate in the blood. An increase in eosinophils is most commonly caused by an allergic reaction, resulting in the use of steroids to decrease their over-production.

However, in hypereosinophilic syndromes, eosinophils multiply in an uncontrolled manner, attacking numerous parts of the body, including the heart, lungs, gastrointestinal tract, and skin. Treatment usually involves the use of potentially toxic medications to stop the overproduction of eosinophils. However, current treatments only provide limited control and quickly become ineffective.

A research team led by Marc E. Rothenberg, MD, PhD, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, is the first to report on the safety and efficacy of a new anti-IL-5 therapy in patients with severe forms of hypereosinophilic syndromes. Originally developed for the treatment of asthma, anti-IL-5 therapy blocks the eosinophil growth factor interleukin-5 (IL-5). IL-5 is a cytokine critically involved in regulating several aspects of eosinophils including their production, activation and tissue recruitment.

Four patients, previously dependent on a variety of toxic medications to partially treat their hypereosinophilic syndrome, were given three intravenous doses of anti-IL-5 administered at four week intervals. Researchers found that anti-IL-5 was well tolerated in all four patients and lowered eosinophil counts despite on-going systemic steroid therapy. This decline in eosinophil counts was sustained for at least 12 weeks aft
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Contact: John Gardner
jgardner@aaaai.org
414-272-6071
American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology
8-Jan-2004

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