The histopathogenesis of the flame figure in Wells' syndrome based on five cases.

Characteristics of Wells' syndrome are recurrent episodes of edema and erythema of sudden onset, often covering large areas of the skin. Microscopy shows marked eosinophilia and the presence of so-called flame figures. The flame figures have been considered to be either secondary to aggregates of expelled eosinophilic granules and disintergrating eosinophils, or foci of necrobiotic collagen. Our study indicates that the flame figure is secondary to disintegration of eosinophils and consists of aggregates of eosinophilic granules and nuclear fragments and not of necrobiotic collagen. We consider Wells' syndrome to be a distinctive clinical and histological reaction, which can be triggered by many different, mostly unknown factors.