Histological and histochemical changes of the skeletal muscle in human chronic Chagas' disease

Taratuto, Analia; Pagano, M. A.; Fumo, Teresa; Sanz, Olga P.; Sica, R. E. P.

doi:10.1590/S0004-282X1978000400006

Abstracts

Gastrocnemius muscle biopsies were performed in 7 subjects with chronic Chagas' disease. On clinical and laboratory grounds the selected patients were judged to be healthy, being the only abnormality found the presence of positive serum tests for Chagas' disease. Fibre type grouping of either type I or type II was observed in 5 of the 7 patients. Furthermore, in 2 of the 5 patients showing muscle fibre groupings, angular fibres reacting with NADH and non-specific sterase were also found. These observations strongly suggest denervation associated with reinervation. This picture often can be observed in the skeletal muscle of patients with well compensated denervatory conditions who do not show clinical evidences of denervation.

En 7 pacientes afectados por enfermedad de Chagas crónica se procedió al estúdio biópsico del músculo gastrocnemio. Los pacientes seleccionados mostraran como única anormalidad la presencia de tests positivos en suero para la enfermedad de Chagas. Agrupamiento de fibras musculares de tipo I y II fué observado en 5 de aquellos; en 2 de estos últimos 5 se encontro, además, fibras anguladas que se teñian intensamente con NADH y esterase no especifica. Las observaciones hechas sugirieron la presencia de denervaçión seguida por reinervación, cuadro que puede ser observado con asiduidad en el músculo esquelético de pacientes con afecciones denervatorias bien compensadas y en los que no existen evidencias clinicas de ese compromiso.

Histological and histochemical changes of the skeletal muscle in human chronic Chagas' disease

Cambios histológicos e histoquimicos del músculo esquelético en la enfermedad de Chagas crónica

Analia Taratuto; M. A. Pagano; Teresa Fumo; Olga P. Sanz; R. E. P. Sica

Section of Clinical Electroneurophysiology, Hospital Ramos Mejia, Buenos Aires. Argentina

SUMMARY

Gastrocnemius muscle biopsies were performed in 7 subjects with chronic Chagas' disease. On clinical and laboratory grounds the selected patients were judged to be healthy, being the only abnormality found the presence of positive serum tests for Chagas' disease.

Fibre type grouping of either type I or type II was observed in 5 of the 7 patients. Furthermore, in 2 of the 5 patients showing muscle fibre groupings, angular fibres reacting with NADH and non-specific sterase were also found. These observations strongly suggest denervation associated with reinervation. This picture often can be observed in the skeletal muscle of patients with well compensated denervatory conditions who do not show clinical evidences of denervation.

RESUMEN

En 7 pacientes afectados por enfermedad de Chagas crónica se procedió al estúdio biópsico del músculo gastrocnemio. Los pacientes seleccionados mostraran como única anormalidad la presencia de tests positivos en suero para la enfermedad de Chagas. Agrupamiento de fibras musculares de tipo I y II fué observado en 5 de aquellos; en 2 de estos últimos 5 se encontro, además, fibras anguladas que se teñian intensamente con NADH y esterase no especifica. Las observaciones hechas sugirieron la presencia de denervaçión seguida por reinervación, cuadro que puede ser observado con asiduidad en el músculo esquelético de pacientes con afecciones denervatorias bien compensadas y en los que no existen evidencias clinicas de ese compromiso.

Full text available only in PDF format.

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Reprint request: Dr. R. E. P. SICA - Sección de Electroneurofisiologia Clinica ·- Hospital Ramos Mejia - Urquiza 609 - Buenos Aires - Argentina.

References

1. CAMPBELL, M. J.; McCOMAS, A. J. A PETITO, F. - Physiological changes In ageing muscles. J. Neurol. Neurosurg. Psychiat. (London) 36:174. 1973.
2. KARPATI, G. & ENGEL, W. K. - Type grouping in skeletal muscle after experimental reinervation. Neurology (Minneapolis) 18:447, 1968.
3. LAGUENS, R. P.; COSSIO, P. M.; DIEZ, C; SEGAL. A.; VAZQUEZ, C; KREUTZER, E.; KHOURY, E. & ARAN A. R. M - Inmunopathologic and morphologic studies of skeletal muscle in Chagas' disease. Am J. Pathology (Chicago) 80:163. 1975.
4. PAGANO, M. A.; ARISTIMUÑO. G. G.; BASSO. SUS AN A; COLOMBI, A. & SICA. R. E. P. - Electromyographical findings in chronic Chagas' disease. Ara. NeuroPsiquiat. (São Paulo) 36:316, 1978.
5. SANZ, OLGA, P.; RATUSNU. A. F.: ARISTlMUÑO. G. G.;O'NEILL, E. M. & SICA, R. E. P. - An electrophysiological investigation of skeletal muscle in human chronic Chagas' disease. Arq. Neuro-Psiquiat. (São Paulo) 36:319, 1978.
6. SICA, R. E.P.; SANZ, OLGA P. & COLOMBI, A. - The effect of ageing upon the human soleus muscle. Medicina (Buenos Aires) 36:443, 1976.

Publication Dates

Publication in this collection
27 Aug 2012
Date of issue
Dec 1978

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.

[1] 1. CAMPBELL, M. J.; McCOMAS, A. J. A PETITO, F. - Physiological changes In ageing muscles. J. Neurol. Neurosurg. Psychiat. (London) 36:174. 1973.

[2] 2. KARPATI, G. & ENGEL, W. K. - Type grouping in skeletal muscle after experimental reinervation. Neurology (Minneapolis) 18:447, 1968.

[3] 3. LAGUENS, R. P.; COSSIO, P. M.; DIEZ, C; SEGAL. A.; VAZQUEZ, C; KREUTZER, E.; KHOURY, E. & ARAN A. R. M - Inmunopathologic and morphologic studies of skeletal muscle in Chagas' disease. Am J. Pathology (Chicago) 80:163. 1975.

[4] 4. PAGANO, M. A.; ARISTIMUÑO. G. G.; BASSO. SUS AN A; COLOMBI, A. & SICA. R. E. P. - Electromyographical findings in chronic Chagas' disease. Ara. NeuroPsiquiat. (São Paulo) 36:316, 1978.

[5] 5. SANZ, OLGA, P.; RATUSNU. A. F.: ARISTlMUÑO. G. G.;O'NEILL, E. M. & SICA, R. E. P. - An electrophysiological investigation of skeletal muscle in human chronic Chagas' disease. Arq. Neuro-Psiquiat. (São Paulo) 36:319, 1978.

[6] 6. SICA, R. E.P.; SANZ, OLGA P. & COLOMBI, A. - The effect of ageing upon the human soleus muscle. Medicina (Buenos Aires) 36:443, 1976.