Dermal IgG Deposits and Increase of Mast Cells in Patients with Fibromyalgia - Relevant Findings or Epiphenomena?
Abstract
Skin biopsies from 25 patients with fibromyalgia, 5 healthy controls, 8 patients with rheumatoid arthritis, and 9 patients with local chronic pain after whiplash injury, were examined for the occurrence of IgG deposits and collagen types, using direct and indirect immunofluorescence, and for dermal connective tissue mast cells, using semithin Epon sections. Fibromyalgia skin biopsies had significantly higher values of IgG deposits in the dermis and vessel walls and showed a higher reactivity for collagen III. They also had a higher mean number of mast cells. There was a correlation between the percentage of damaged/degranulated mast cells and the individual IgG immunofluorescence scores. These findings support the hypothesis of neurogenic inflammation involvement in fibromyalgia.
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Dermal IgG deposits are present in the skin of FMS patients.
“Eneström S. et al. identified dermal IgG deposits in the skin of FMS patients with FMS (106).”
From Nociplastic pain: the prominent role of non-neuronal cells in central and peripheral sensitization (2026) · cites this paper as [106]
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- Authors
- Enestrbm, S., Bengtsson, A., & Frddin, T.
- Affiliations
- Linköping University (SE)
- Rheumatology Unit, Department of Internal Medicine, Linköping, Sweden
- Venue
- Scandinavian Journal of Rheumatology
- Publisher
- Informa UK Limited
- Published
- 1997-01
- Volume
- 26
- Issue
- 4
- Pages
- 308-313
- ISSN
- 0300-9742 (ISSN-L)
- 1502-7732
- OpenAlex
- W2139841999
- Cited by
- 62
- References
- 21
- Citations by year
- 2026: 2 · 2025: 4 · 2024: 2 · 2023: 1 · 2022: 2 · 2021: 3 · 2018: 4 · 2017: 1 · 2016: 3 · 2015: 3 · 2014: 5 · 2013: 1
- FWCI
- 1.15
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Scandinavian Journal of Rheumatology (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Funders
- Svenska Läkaresällskapet
- Topics
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Psychiatry and Mental health › Fibromyalgia and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Research
- Life Sciences › Immunology and Microbiology › Immunology › Mast cells and histamine
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Pathology and Forensic Medicine › Systemic Sclerosis and Related Diseases
- Keywords
- fibromyalgia, IgG deposits, mast cells, type III collagen, neurogenic inflammation, rheumatoid arthritis, skin biopsy, immunofluorescence
- MeSH terms
- Adult, Arthritis, Rheumatoid, Biopsy, Cell Count, Female, Fibromyalgia, Humans, Immunoglobulin G, Mast Cells, Middle Aged, Skin, Whiplash Injuries
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