Among 1400 muscle biopsies, we studied 16 cases with rimmed vacuoles, whose histology suggests cytoplasm inclusion bodies. We tried to correlate the clinical, laboratory and histopatological data in order to verify the specificity of cytoplasm inclusion bodies to certain diseases. The creatinekinase was increased in 10 cases. In all cases electromyography was abnormal. Muscle histochemistry revealed myopathy in 5 cases, mixed pattern in 7, denervation in 2 and in 2 cases, inflammatory myopathy. Electron microscopy showed the presence of filaments in 8 cases (nuclear, disseminated in cytoplasm or in the subsarcolemmal region). The patients were classified according to history, heredity, laboratory, electrophysiologic, histochemistry data and electron microscopy: in myositis with inclusion cytoplasmic bodies (4 cases), juvenile spinal muscular atrophy (6 cases), distal myopathies (3 cases), limb-girdle dystrophy (2 cases) and peripheral neuropathy (1 case). We present a revision on the pathogenesis and possible etiology of rimmed vacuoles and their relationship with several diseases.
cytoplasmic inclusion bodies; rimmed vacuoles; inclusion body myositis; juvenile spinal muscular atrophy; distal myopathies; limb-girdle muscular dystrophy