FASCIITIS
===============
 
From: dante@texnet.it
 
Dear Sirs,

an italian woman suffers from a disease called, in Italian, 'fascite
eosinofila'; its Latin name might be 'fascitis eosinophilex'.  This disease
should be very rare and Italian doctors treat this woman only with
cortisone.
At present, this treatment does not seem to be suitable.  Can you help me
to solve this urgent case?

Best regards,

                                        Daniele Mazzeranghi


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From: Haines Ely <hpely@ucdavis.edu>
 
Eosinophilic fasciitis can be treated with Cimetidine 400mg T.I.D. and 
with Pentoxifylline 400mg T.I.D. Both have been reported to work and I 
have used them with success. I'm more impressed with pentoxifylline than 
cimetidine. 

Haines Ely


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From: Gfweb@aol.com

Eosinophilic fasciitis (Schulman's Syndrome) is a serious inflammatory
disease of unknown cause.  Patients get fatigue, swelling, hardening of the
skin and sometimes internal problems. It may be confused with the
eosinophilia-myalgia syndrome and scleroderma.

If she has eosinophilic fasciitis, cortisone at 1-2mg/kg/day is a reasonable
treatment, but there are other options including cytoxan and penicillimine
(which are of less certain value, but may be needed).

This is a disease that must be treated by doctors who have experience with
it.  Probably a medical school professor would be a good first choice.

Guy Webster, MD, PhD