Deadly Disorder: HES
Reported March 21, 2005
CINCINNATI (Ivanhoe Broadcast News) — Researchers hope a new drug can fight a blood disorder that shuts down vital organs. The study couldn’t come sooner for one young boy and his mom who are both battling this disease. These days, Kody’s hospital room is his home. Complete with stuffed animals, family photos and homework. Kody has a potentially fatal blood disorder called hypereosinophilic syndrome, or HES. His mom, Stephanie Harlow, and four brothers have it, too. “Whatever happened to him this hospitalization just caused a systemic shutdown system by system by system and was very serious … more serious than anything we’ve ever seen,” Stephanie says. HES is an overproduction of eosinophils, a type of white blood cells. Together, they attack various organs. For the Harlows, it’s the gastrointestinal tract. They can’t eat solid food and rely on feeding tubes. Although there’s no cure for HES, leading Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center Allergist Marc Rothenberg, M.D., Ph.D., is optimistic about a new experimental drug called Anti-IL-5. “This is the one closest to approval — closest to a medical breakthrough for this disease,” Dr. Rothenberg tells Ivanhoe. He says Anti-IL-5 stops the growth hormone within the blood and tissues and causes those blood cells to die away. “Over the course of days to weeks they should see improvement in their symptoms and reduction, tremendous reduction of the eosinophil count primarily in the blood.” The drug is in the trial stage now. Stephanie says, “Any more answers we can get … For Kody, it’s more time sensitive.” She will participate in the trial, hoping to find an answer for her and her sons. Dr. Rothenberg says there are no known side effects to Anti-IL-5. It’s given through an IV once a month. Meanwhile, the Harlow family has moved from Virginia to Cincinnati so that they’ll have greater access to treatments and the medical trial.
If you would like more information, please contact:
Jim Feuer
Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center
3333 Burnet Ave. MLC 9012
Cincinnati, OH 45229
(513) 636-4656
jim.feuer@cchmc.org