Zur Myopathologie der generalisierten Tendomyopathie

Summary

In order to determine definable morphological changes in primary fibromyalgia, 22 muscle biopsies taken from large muscles of the extremities were examined by both light and electron microscopy. In addition, immunohistologic examinations with monoclonal antibodies (AP-AAP-method) were undertaken (vimentin, collagen type IV, fibronectin, desmin, B-cells, T4-cells, T8-cells, macrophages, HLA-DR receptor, interleukin II receptor); the results were compared with 20 normal biopsies.

Consistent with earlier experiences, no definite pathologic changes could be found in the biopsies of patients with primary fibromyalgia. Correlating to the time from onset of symptoms, a slight increase of endomysial connective tissue and unspecific muscular atrophy was found. A part of the biopsies showed some accumulation of lipid droplets and a focal subsarcolemmal increase of regularly configurated mitochondria of normal size. These findings are diagnostically unspecific and by no means as clear as the changes described by other authors in biopsies of the so-called tender points. However, the morphologic variability in the region of tendon insertion has, as yet, not been well defined.