Capillary damage in skeletal muscle in advanced Chagas' disease patients.

Parasitol Res

Institute of Experimental Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Central University of Venezuela, Apdo. 50587 Sabana Grande, 1050-A Caracas, Venezuela.

Published: August 2004

AI Article Synopsis

  • The study investigated capillary damage in skeletal muscles of patients with advanced Chagas' disease compared to healthy subjects, focusing on the vastus lateralis muscle.
  • Findings revealed a reduced capillary-to-fibre ratio and decreased capillary proximity to specific muscle fibre types in patients, indicating significant structural changes at the cellular level.
  • The observed capillary abnormalities suggest a potential autoimmune component in chronic Chagas' disease, which could contribute to impaired muscle function in affected individuals.

Article Abstract

The damage to skeletal muscle capillaries in advanced Chagas' disease (stages II and III) was investigated in the vastus lateralis muscle of six patients and compared to that of six normal subjects. Capillaries were visualized by the PAS-amylase reaction and muscle fibres were classified by the ATPase histochemical method. Transmission electron microscopy was used to look for capillary alterations. The capillary-to-fibre ratio and number of capillaries adjacent to type I and type IIa fibres were decreased in the patient group. At the ultrastructural level, all patients showed capillary abnormalities, mainly basement membrane thickening and reduplication, capillary occlusion, proliferative endothelial cell cytoplasm with dense bodies, large vacuoles, altered mitochondria and prominent rough endoplasmic reticulum, as well as pericyte abnormalities. Capillary alterations are similar to those in patients affected by autoimmune diseases, suggesting an autoimmune component in the chronic phase of this disease. The reduction in capillarity may contribute to altered muscle performance in these patients.

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Source
http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s00436-004-1107-7DOI Listing

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