DERMAL IGG DEPOSITS AND INCREASE OF MAST-CELLS IN PATIENTS WITH FIBROMYALGIA - RELEVANT FINDINGS OR EPIPHENOMENA

Skin biopsies from 25 patients with fibromyalgia, 5 healthy controls, 8 patients with rheumatoid arthritis, and 9 patients with local chroni c pain after whiplash injury, were examined for the occurrence of IgG deposits and collagen types? using direct and indirect immunofluoresce nce, and for dermal connective tissue mast cells, using semithin Epon sections. Fibromyalgia skin biopsies had significantly higher values o f IgG deposits in the dermis and vessel walls and showed a higher reac tivity for collagen III. They also had a higher mean number of mast ce lls, There was a correlation between the percentage of damaged degranu lated mast cells and the individual IgG immunofluorescence scores. The se findings support the hypothesis of neurogenic inflammation involvem ent in fibromyalgia.