Skeletal muscle pathology in systemic sclerosis.
OBJECTIVE
Systemic sclerosis (SSc) is characterized by abnormal deposition of collagen in the skin and by visceral involvement. Muscle weakness is a relatively frequent complication of SSc, although severity varies. We studied muscle pathology in patients with SSc with progressive muscle involvement.


METHODS
We performed histochemical and immunohistochemical investigations to detect neural cell adhesion molecule (NCAM).


RESULTS
Five of the 6 cases of SSc expressed NCAM in atrophic angulated fibers (some fibers stained heavily with oxidative enzymes).


CONCLUSIONS
Neurogenic involvement in SSc is more frequent than reported.
Calore
E E
EE
Anatomia Patológica, Instituto de Infectologia Emílio Ribas, São Paulo, Brazil.
Cavaliere
M J
MJ
Perez
N M
NM
Takayasu
V
V
Wakamatsu
A
A
Kiss
M H
MH
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001284:Atrophy; D001706:Biopsy; D002462:Cell Membrane / Q000737:chemistry; D002648:Child; D003593:Cytoplasm / Q000737:chemistry; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D018485:Muscle Fibers, Skeletal / Q000473:pathology; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000473:pathology*; D009336:Necrosis; D019006:Neural Cell Adhesion Molecules / Q000032:analysis*; D012595:Scleroderma, Systemic / Q000473:pathology*
D019006:Neural Cell Adhesion Molecules