The Significance of Target Fibers: A Clinicopathologic Review of 100 Patients with Neurogenic Atrophy

Kovarsky, Joel; Schochet, Sydney S.; McCormick, William F.

doi:10.1093/ajcp/59.6.790

Cited by 19 publications

(13 citation statements)

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“…A neurogenic basis for cores has been postulated, since cores resemble target fibers which are associated with denervation. 13 The presence of cores in this case suggests a biochemical basis for their formation.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 80%

Central changes in hypothyroid myopathy: A case report

1990

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A muscle biopsy from a patient with hypothyroid myopathy showed striking central changes. "Cores" were seen in most type 1 fibers with oxidative enzyme preparations. Electron microscopy of these areas revealed Z disc streaming, myofilament disruption, and absent mitochondria. The myopathy rapidly improved with thyroxine treatment. This biopsy is of interest, as numerous "cores" have not previously been reported in hypothyroid myopathy.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 80%

Central changes in hypothyroid myopathy: A case report

1990

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“…'4 Target fibers are generally considered to be a specific change reflecting muscle fiber denervation. 19 Vacuolated myofibrils have been described in numerous diseases including glycogen and lipid storage disorders, the hypokalemic form of periodic paralysis,20 and even in inflammatory myopathy. Random small fibers, vacuolated myofibrils, myofibrillar degeneration with fatty replacement, and mitochondrial inclusions have all been described in patients with chronic alcoholism.2' Mitochondrial abnormalities have also been found in patients with various forms of neurogenic disorders.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Six of the 19 Two of the patients in the congestive cardiomyo-pathy group had elevated CPK levels of 600 mU/ml and 920 mU/ml (normal 90-210). Both had a positive MB band (primarily heart) comprising 5% and 10% of the total, respectively.…”

Section: Neuromuscular Examinationsmentioning

confidence: 96%

Neurogenic skeletal myopathy in patients with primary cardiomyopathy.

Darsee¹,

Nutter²,

Hopkins³

et al. 1979

Circulation

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Eleven patients with hypertrophic obstructive cardiomyopathy and eight patients with idiopathic congestive cardiomyopathy underwent extensive neuromuscular studies to determine if a skeletal myopathy is associated with uncomplicated primary cardiomyopathy. The clinical examination revealed peripheral neuropathies in six patients, but no evidence of muscle weakness or atrophy. Nerve conduction studies demonstrated a neuropathy in five of these six and in one other patient: three were in the hypertrophic group and three in the congestive group. Seven patients had abnormal electromyography, but none had characteristic myopathic changes. Of these seven patients, muscle biopsies showed denervation in two patients in the congestive group and type II atrophy in two patients in the hypertrophic group. We found no evidence of primary skeletal muscle involvement; however, neuropathic features and biopsy changes of denervation were present in both groups.

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“…Since the first description of target fibers in human skeletal muscle by W. K. Engel in 1961 numerous investigations have led to the concept, that target fibers are manifestations of denervation atrophy of the neuronal type at an early stage of development, probably due to missed or incomplete reinnervation (Resnick et al, 1967;Dubowitz, 1967;Farris et al, 1971;Kovarsky et al, 1973;DeCoster et al, 1976). At present there is little doubt about their close relationship to denervation atrophy, despite the absence of target fibers in Werdnig-Hoffmann's disease (Kovarsky et al, 1973), and the occasional demonstration of them in myopathies (Engel, 1962;Amick et al, 1966;Schotland, 1969;Hughes, 1974), and in polymyositis (Shafiq et al, 1967).…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

“…At present there is little doubt about their close relationship to denervation atrophy, despite the absence of target fibers in Werdnig-Hoffmann's disease (Kovarsky et al, 1973), and the occasional demonstration of them in myopathies (Engel, 1962;Amick et al, 1966;Schotland, 1969;Hughes, 1974), and in polymyositis (Shafiq et al, 1967). Thus this concept does not now seem to be completely free of problems, and the target phenomenon still requires much clarification.…”

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confidence: 99%