title: [Study of mastocytes in 1298 bone biopsies. Relationship between mastocytes and osteoporosis].
abstract: The relationship between the bone damage in systemic mastocytosis and reactional mastocytosis is still poorly understood. The purpose of this study was to determine the incidence of excessive mastocytes in a series of bone biopsies and their significance in cases of osteoporosis. The mastocytes were routinely counted in 1,298 successive biopsies stained with May Grumwald Giemsa: 131 biopsies had more than 5 mastocytes/mm2, i.e., 10% of all samples for all diagnoses combined. In 11 patients (13 bone biopsies) with a large excess of mastocytes (more than 15/mm2) and osteoporosis, the biopsies were examined again to look for mastocytic nodules suggesting bone mastocytosis: mastocytic nodules of this type were found in only 4 cases. The mastocyte is an active cell which may play a role in bone metabolism through the intermediary of its mediators. In osteoporosis, the incidence and significance of excessive mastocytes is not yet understood; this excess of mastocytes appears to correspond to reactive mastocytosis rather than systemic mastocytosis.
authors.affiliation: Institut de Recherche sur les Maladies du Squelette, Institut Calot, Berck/Mer.
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Grardel
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Flautre
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Sutter
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Duriez
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Hardouin
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001706:Biopsy; D001842:Bone and Bones / Q000473:pathology*; D002452:Cell Count; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008407:Mast Cells / Q000473:pathology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D010024:Osteoporosis / Q000473:pathology*
vernacular_title: Etude des mastocytes sur 1,298 biopsies osseuses. Relations entre mastocytes et ostéoporose.