Hypereosinophilic Syndrome Presenting As an Unusual Triad of Eosinophilia, Severe Thrombocytopenia, and Diffuse Arterial Thromboses, with Good Response to Mepolizumab

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Hypereosinophilic Syndrome Presenting As an Unusual Triad of Eosinophilia, Severe Thrombocytopenia, and Diffuse Arterial Thromboses, with Good Response to Mepolizumab H & 0 C l i n i C a l C a s e s t u d i e s Hypereosinophilic Syndrome Presenting As an Unusual Triad of Eosinophilia, Severe Thrombocytopenia, and Diffuse Arterial Thromboses, With Good Response to Mepolizumab 1Department of Internal Medicine, University of Iowa 1 Roberto A. Leon-Ferre, MD Hospitals and Clinics, Iowa City, Iowa; 2Division of 2 Catherine R. Weiler, MD, PhD Allergic Diseases and Internal Medicine, Mayo Clinic, Thorvardur R. Halfdanarson, MD3 Rochester, Minnesota; 3Division of Hematology and Medical Oncology, Mayo Clinic Arizona, Scottsdale, Arizona Case Report Complement studies were normal. Fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) screening for FIP1L1-PDGFRA A previously healthy 47-year-old man presented with rearrangement was negative. A bone marrow biopsy 3 weeks of bilateral hand numbness, tingling, cyanosis, revealed a normocellular marrow, with marked eosino- and newly onset lower extremity edema and petechiae. philia (47%), adequate numbers of megakaryocytes, and On examination, both hands were dusky, cold, and exqui- no increase in blasts, mast cells, or reticulin fibrosis. Cyto- sitely tender. Bilateral radial pulses and left popliteal pulse genetic studies showed no abnormalities. Peripheral blood were not palpable. No lymphadenopathy, organomegaly, flow cytometry did not identify monoclonal cell popula- or masses were detected. Initial workup revealed severe tions, and no underlying T-cell clone was detected using a eosinophilia and thrombocytopenia (white blood cell T-cell receptor gene rearrangement polymerase chain reac- count, 20.3 × 103/μL; eosinophil count, 10.9 × 103/μL; tion (PCR) study. Serum protein electrophoresis, serum platelet count, 8 × 103/μL), and normal hemoglobin immunofixation electrophoresis, and urine immunofixa- of 15.2 g/dL. A peripheral blood smear (PBS) showed tion electrophoresis were all negative. Cryoglobulins were markedly increased eosinophils and decreased platelets. not detected. Hepatitis serologies were negative. Extensive No platelet clumps, schistocytes, or blasts were seen. A hypercoagulability workup was unrevealing. There was no magnetic resonance angiography (MRA) of the extremi- evidence of disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC) ties revealed multiple arterial thromboses involving both or thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura (TTP). Com- upper extremities and the left lower extremity. puted tomography (CT) of the chest, abdomen, and pelvis An investigation for underlying causes of eosinophilia did not show evidence of malignancy. An echocardiogram and thrombophilia was pursued. There was no recent was normal, with no evidence of intracardiac thrombus, travel history or use of suspicious medications. Parasitic patent foramen ovale, or cardiomyopathy. Given the lack infestation was ruled out with serial stool ova and parasites of a readily apparent cause for secondary eosinophilia and test (O&P), and serology was negative for strongyloides, the presence of thrombotic complications, the patient toxoplasma, toxocara, entamoeba, and trichinosis, among was diagnosed with life- and limb-threatening hypere- others. Serologic studies for connective tissue disease and osinophilic syndrome (HES), without evidence of cardiac, vasculitides were negative. Serum interleukin-5 (IL-5) renal, or pulmonary involvement. and tryptase were normal. Immunoglobulin E (IgE) was The patient was given 1 gram of intravenous slightly elevated at 178 IU/mL (reference, 0–100 IU/mL). (IV) methylprednisolone, which was followed by prednisone 1 mg/kg/day. Due to his extensive arte- Address correspondence to: rial thromboses, anticoagulation with IV heparin Roberto A. Leon-Ferre, MD, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Iowa was initiated, and he underwent multiple thrombec- Hospitals and Clinics, 200 Hawkins Drive, Iowa City, IA 52242; Phone: 319-356- 1616; Fax: 319-384-8955; E-mail: [email protected]. tomies. The anticoagulation was later transitioned Clinical Advances in Hematology & Oncology Volume 11, Issue 5 May 2013 317 LEON-FERRE ET AL to warfarin. The platelet count recovered within 2 The lack of a readily apparent cause of reactive eosino- weeks and the eosinophil count normalized within 3 philia should raise concern for clonal eosinophilic prolifera- weeks. Prednisone was slowly tapered over the follow- tions. Evaluation for these should include a careful review ing month. When the dose was down to 20 mg/day, of the PBS, measurement of serum tryptase (for evidence he developed chest pain and recurrent eosinophilia and of underlying myeloid malignancies), IL-5, bone marrow thrombocytopenia, requiring a dose increase in pred- biopsy, screening for FIP1L1-PDGFRA rearrangement nisone back to 1 mg/kg/day, with a prompt symptom (if positive, a working diagnosis of FIP1L1-PDGFRA– resolution and normalization of eosinophil and platelet associated neoplasm is made), cytogenetic studies (in counts. Two subsequent attempts in tapering the pred- search of clonal eosinophilia mutations), and peripheral nisone were unsuccessful and complicated by recurrent blood lymphocyte phenotyping and T-cell receptor gene eosinophilia, thrombocytopenia, and new extremity rearrangement studies (to exclude lymphocytic-variant arterial thromboses. Interferon-α (IFN-α) was started hypereosinophilia).1 Of note, FIP1L1-PDGFRA fusion is as a steroid-sparing agent at an initial dose of 3 million often karyotypically occult, which makes FISH screening units subcutaneously 3 times weekly (TIW), and was mandatory. If this workup is unrevealing, idiopathic HES later increased to 5 million units TIW due to persistent should be considered. digit ischemia and eosinophilia, but was subsequently The diagnosis of HES is established by fulfilling 3 discontinued due to lack of efficacy. A trial of imatinib criteria: 1) hypereosinophilia (blood eosinophilia with or (Gleevec, Novartis) 400 mg/day was pursued, without without tissue eosinophilia), 2) hypereosinophilia-related noticeable added benefit and worsening thrombocyto- organ damage, and 3) absence of an alternative explana- penia, prompting its discontinuation after 2 weeks. At tion for the observed organ damage.2 Eosinophil-related 7 months from diagnosis, IV mepolizumab 750 mg every organ damage refers to eosinophil infiltration associated 4 weeks was started. Adequate control of eosinophilia and with organ dysfunction that is seen with 1 or more of the thrombocytopenia was achieved; however, in spite of this following: fibrosis (lung, heart, gastrointestinal tract, skin, and the warfarin treatment, the patient developed recur- or others); thrombosis with or without thromboembolism; rent thrombosis, which resulted in index finger necrosis, cutaneous and mucosal erythema, edema/angioedema, infection, and subsequent amputation. Pathology of ulceration, or eczema; peripheral or central neuropathy the amputated finger revealed an organized blood clot with chronic or recurrent neurologic deficit; and other less with no evidence of vasculitis. His anticoagulation was common organ manifestations. In our patient, the major changed to low-molecular-weight heparin (LMWH), organ damage was a consequence of arterial thromboses. and with the third mepolizumab dose, hydroxyurea 500 Thrombocytopenia or thrombocytosis are noted in mg twice daily (BID) was started. Since then, predni- approximately 31% and 16% of HES cases, respectively.3 sone was slowly and successfully tapered, and ultimately Severe thrombocytopenia, as in our patient, is very infre- discontinued at 18 months from the time of diagnosis. quent, and appears to correlate with disease severity and At 44 months from diagnosis, the patient continues to treatment refractoriness.3 Approximately 25% of patients do well without steroids, and has not experienced recur- develop thromboembolic complications, most commonly rence of thrombosis, thrombocytopenia, or eosinophilia. venous (pulmonary, cutaneous, cerebral, hepatic, or portal He remains on monthly mepolizumab, now once-daily veins) or intracardiac.4,5 Arterial thrombosis, especially hydroxyurea, and lifelong anticoagulation with LMWH. with resultant digit necrosis, is exceedingly rare.4,6-9 Most arterial occlusions in reality reflect peripheral embolism discussion from intracardiac thrombi or the presence of vasculitis. Rare cases of DIC or TTP have also been reported.5 In our Persistent eosinophilia can be reactive (cytokine-driven in patient, the arterial thromboses were not associated with response to allergy, inflammation, or neoplasms), clonal vasculitis, and intracardiac thrombi were not identified by (in which the eosinophils themselves are considered echocardiogram. It is possible, however, that small intra- neoplastic), or idiopathic. Evaluation must include a cardiac thrombi may have been present and could not be complete history (including travel and medications) and visualized. A similar case of HES with thrombocytopenia physical exam. Serial stool cultures (especially for stron- and thrombosis was reported by Sherer and associates.10 gyloides, other ova, and parasite testing) and serologic However, their patient had venous thrombosis instead studies for specific parasites should be obtained. Evidence of arterial, and the thrombocytopenia was not as severe for underlying allergy, connective tissue disease, vasculitis, (69 × 103/μL). Their patient responded well to steroids, in organ-restricted eosinophilic disorders (pulmonary or gas- contrast to our patient, who had a much more protracted trointestinal eosinophilic disease), adrenal
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