SELECTIVE DIAPHRAGMATIC MITOCHONDRIAL ABNORMALITIES IN A PATIENT WITHMARKED AIR-FLOW OBSTRUCTION

There is increasing evidence that exercise overload induces changes in skeletal muscle structure and function. Recent studies suggest that m uscle mitochondria could be involved either as the result or the origi n of these changes. This study describes a case of a patient with mark ed air flow obstruction related to chronic obstructive pulmonary disea se, in which large aggregates of mitochondria were found in diaphragm muscle fibers. Many of the mitochondria contained paracrystalline rect angular inclusions. Latissimus dorsi and intercostal muscles were also available for ultrastructural examination that showed. respectively, normal and moderately increased number of mitochondria with normal mit ochondrial structure. This is the first known report of paracrystallin e rectangular inclusions in respiratory skeletal muscle from a patient with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.