Aquagenic pruritus associated with the idiopathic hypereosinophilic syndrome

Patients with the idiopathic hypereosinophilic syndrome (HES) may develop associated skin disorders. We describe a patient who had xerosis since birth, but who first developed symptoms of aquagenic pruritus soon after he presented with HES. Photochemotherapy with psoralen and UVA treatment reduced his peripheral blood eosinophil count. The good response to treatment suggests that there was a close relationship between the dermatosis and the blood disorder.