Salivary gland changes in chronic fatigue syndrome: a case-controlled preliminary histologic study.
OBJECTIVE
The purpose of this preliminary study is to compare labial salivary gland changes of 11 patients with chronic fatigue syndrome with control subjects.


METHODS
Changes in labial salivary glands were graded from 0 to 3+ for acinar dilatation, ductal dilatation, periductal fibrosis, plasmacytic infiltrate, lymphocytic infiltrate, mast cell infiltrate, and lymphocytic aggregates or foci.


RESULTS
Four of the 11 subjects had 2+ to 3+ changes in at least 4 of the 7 parameters examined. Only the presence of mast cells was statistically significant between the 2 groups. Two of these 4 patients had 1 lymphocytic focus per 4 mm(2) of tissue.


CONCLUSIONS
The salivary gland changes in patients with chronic fatigue syndrome show varying degrees of ductal and acinar dilatation, periductal fibrosis, lymphoplasmacytic infiltrates, and occasional lymphocytic foci, all suggestive of primary gland damage. The one parameter that showed statistical significance was the presence of mast cells (Fisher exact test, 0.0125).
Woo
S B
SB
Dept of Oral Medicine and Diagnostic Sciences, Harvard School of Dental Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital, USA.
Schacterle
R S
RS
Komaroff
A L
AL
Gallagher
G T
GT
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D015673:Fatigue Syndrome, Chronic / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008046:Lip / Q000473:pathology; D008214:Lymphocytes; D008297:Male; D008407:Mast Cells; D008875:Middle Aged; D010865:Pilot Projects; D012470:Salivary Glands, Minor / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology*; D016037:Single-Blind Method