[Hypereosinophilic syndrome with endomyocardial involvement in children. Critical analysis of the literature apropos of a case].

A 6 years old girl presented with hypereosinophilia of 7 months duration and cardiac failure from restrictive myocardiopathy, leading to death in 3 years 6 months. Transient blast cells were found. Sixteen previously reported pediatric cases of hypereosinophilia of unknown cause with cardiac involvement are studied. The meaning of eosinophilic leukemia is discussed, the frequency of cardiac damage and the role of hypereosinophilia in the mechanism of cardiac injury are emphasized. Therapy may stabilize or reverse cardiac involvement. In the cases with intractable congestive failure, surgical treatment must be recommended.