Eosinophilia-myalgia syndrome]

Eosinophilia-myalgia syndrome (EMS) is a newly recognized disease, characterized by peripheral eosinophilia with scleroderma-like features. By July 1991, 1543 cases of EMS, including 31 fatal cases, have been reported. Although epidemiologic studies strongly suggest the association of EMS with ingestion of L-tryptophan (LT) containing a contaminant from a single manufacture, the pathogenesis of this disease is not well understood. The insight obtained from the study of EMS may be applicable to scleroderma or eosinophilic fasciitis. Recent advances in the understanding of clinical and pathologic features of EMS are reviewed.