title: Skeletal muscle pathology in systemic sclerosis.
abstract: 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.
authors.affiliation: Anatomia Patológica, Instituto de Infectologia Emílio Ribas, São Paulo, Brazil.
authors.forename: E E
authors.initials: EE
authors.lastname: Calore
authors.forename: M J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Cavaliere
authors.forename: N M
authors.initials: NM
authors.lastname: Perez
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Takayasu
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Wakamatsu
authors.forename: M H
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Kiss
mesh_terms: 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*
chemical_list: D019006:Neural Cell Adhesion Molecules