This information is provided by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) Genetic and Rare Diseases Information Center (GARD).
Eosinophilic fasciitis is a very rare condition in which muscle tissue underneath the skin, called fascia, becomes swollen and thick. Rapid swelling can occur in the hands, arms, legs, and feet. People with this condition have a buildup of eosinophils, a type of white blood cell, in the affected fascia and muscles. The exact cause of this condition is unknown. Corticosteroids and other immune-suppressing medications are used to relieve the symptoms. Eosinophilic fasciitis is similar in appearance to scleroderma.[4605] However, in contrast with systemic sclerosis, internal organ involvement in eosinophilic fasciitis is generally absent. Some researchers believe that eosinophilic fasciitis may be a variant of morphea (localized scleroderma).[15417]
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