Association of L-tryptophan and an illness resembling eosinophilic fasciitis. Clinical and histopathologic findings in four patients with eosinophilia-myalgia syndrome.

The Centers for Disease Control has recently reported an association between the use of oral L-tryptophan preparations and a disease marked by severe myalgia, peripheral eosinophilia, and neuromuscular and cutaneous abnormalities. They have labeled the condition eosinophilia-myalgia syndrome. We report here the clinical and histopathologic findings in 4 patients who developed an illness resembling eosinophilic fasciitis following the initiation of oral L-tryptophan supplementation.