Churg Strauss Syndrome after Leech Therapy: A Case Report

Abstract

Churg Strauss Syndrome (CSS) is a necrotizing vasculitis affecting small vessels. Although there are many accompanying findings, this syndrome has distinctive clinical findings such as asthma, nasal polyposis, and hypereosinophilia. Here, we describe a case report of a 48-year-old male patient with known asthma and nasal polyposis, who applied to the emergency department with a sudden worsening of consciousness and bullous lesions on the ankle after undergoing leech therapy (hirudotherapy), accompanied by mononeuritis multiplex and other clinical findings. Clinical findings, laboratory, electromyography, lumbar puncture, radiological imaging methods, histopathological examination and transthoracic echocardiography were used to diagnose CSS. In addition, it was desired to draw attention to the fact that leech therapy may trigger hyperosinophilia in vasculitis group diseases and cause serious complications in the individual.