Hypereosinophilic Syndrome Resource - How is Hypereosinophilic Syndrome Diagnosed?

Not every person living with HES will have the same symptoms. The syndrome has a wide variety of symptoms, including weakness, fatigue, cough, shortness of breath, muscle pain, rash, fever, or diarrhea.

The disorder can have many different symptoms, which can be similar to those of other diseases, such as the common cold. This can make it difficult to accurately diagnose. In fact, some people with HES may already be seeing a doctor for some of their symptoms before they are actually diagnosed with the disorder. A doctor will often follow these steps before diagnosing HES:

Rule out other conditions, such as an allergic reaction or an infection from a parasite
Record extremely high blood eosinophilia levels (more than 1,500 cells/uL) for 6 months or more
Observe organ problems and damage as a result of too many eosinophils

People suspected of having HES will likely go through several medical tests before receiving a diagnosis. These tests can include:

Complete blood count to measure number of red cells, white cells and platelets
Routine chemistry tests to see how organs are functioning
HIV test to screen for the virus
Electrocardiogram to look at the rhythm of the heart
Echocardiogram to look at the structure and function of the heart muscle and its valves
Pulmonary function tests to measure lung capacity
Chest and abdominal CT Scan to look deeper into the organs in the chest and stomach areas
Bone marrow aspirate and biopsy to examine the blood cells produced in the bone marrow
Checking immunoglobulin E and vitamin B₁₂ levels in the blood

Ensuring an accurate diagnosis of HES as early as possible is critical. HES can be damaging to the body, causing damage to organ tissue and even death.

How is HES Diagnosed?