[Eosinophilic fasciitis--current database].

For the first time eosinophilic fasciitis (EF) was described by Shulman. It occurs predominantly in young men, rarely in older women and sporadically in children. The illness was characterised by swelling of the extremities, skin changes, myalgia, and elevation of the peripheral blood eosinophils count and hypergammaglobulinemia. It is followed by rapidly progressive cutaneous and subcutaneous indurations. The histopathologic examination of affected skin shows thickening of the fascia, deep dermal fibrosis and infiltration mainly consists of lymphocytes, plasmocytes, eosinophils. It is suggested that the cells from infiltration induce fibrosis. The tryptophan disturbance has significant influence on development of EF in predisposed persons. Eosinophilic fasciitis is classified into wide spectrum of scleroderma disorders by many authors. The authors tried to show differences between EF, morphea and systemic scleroderma.