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Ultrastructural findings and clinical follow‐up of ‘strawberry gums’ in Wegener's granulomatosis
Author(s) -
Raustia A. M.,
AutioHarmainen H. I.,
Knuuttila M. L. E.,
Raustia J. M.
Publication year - 1985
Publication title -
journal of oral pathology and medicine
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.887
H-Index - 83
eISSN - 1600-0714
pISSN - 0904-2512
DOI - 10.1111/j.1600-0714.1985.tb00532.x
Subject(s) - pathology , vasculitis , medicine , eosinophilic , pathogenesis , infiltration (hvac) , biopsy , disease , physics , thermodynamics
Gingival changes in one patient with Wegener's granulomatosis were followed up for one year. A strawberry appearance was present in the marginal gingiva regardless of very effective periodontal treatment. Light microscopy showed acute vasculitis and an inflammatory infiltration containing mainly plasma cells and eosinophilic and neutrophilic granulocytes. The diagnosis of necrotizing vasculitis was confirmed by electron microscopy. Intravascular lysis of cells with aggregation of platelets seemed to be important in the pathogenesis of the vasculitis. The results emphasize the importance of a gingival biopsy, alongside lung and renal biopsies, as an aid in the primary diagnosis of Wegener's granulomatosis.