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Diagnosis of Blood and Bone Marrow Disorders pp 171–193Cite as

Leukocytosis: Eosinophilia

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Abstract

A normal peripheral blood level of eosinophils ranges between 0.0 and 6.0% of leukocyte with an absolute count of 0.05–0.5 × 109/L. The normal range for eosinophils in bone marrow aspirates is 1–6%, but this percentage is less reproducible in clot or core biopsy specimens. Eosinophilia is the increase of eosinophils in the peripheral blood or tissues above what is considered the normal range. The peripheral blood threshold for eosinophilia of clinical significance is ≥1.5 × 109/L [1]. This threshold applies to both reactive and neoplastic processes alike and it has been used in the diagnosis of a variety of disorders. Above this threshold, eosinophilia is usually associated with skin rash or autonomic symptoms such as bronchoconstriction. A definition of bone marrow eosinophilia has been suggested when ≥20% of marrow cells are eosinophils, with or without peripheral blood eosinophilia [2, 3]. In extramedullary sites such as the gastrointestinal tract mucosa, thymus, spleen, or lymph nodes, scattered eosinophils are normally found; tissue eosinophilia is based on a level above what is expected, except for certain specific diseases, such as eosinophilic esophagitis, which have defined levels of tissue eosinophilia.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Hematopathology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA

    Roberto N. Miranda M.D. & Sa A. Wang M.D.

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  1. Roberto N. Miranda M.D.
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  2. Sa A. Wang M.D.
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Correspondence to Roberto N. Miranda M.D. .

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  1. Department of Hematopathology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA

    Sa A. Wang

  2. Department of Pathology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA

    Robert P. Hasserjian

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Miranda, R.N., Wang, S.A. (2018). Leukocytosis: Eosinophilia. In: Wang, S., Hasserjian, R. (eds) Diagnosis of Blood and Bone Marrow Disorders. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-20279-2_6

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-20279-2_6

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