Vascular changes of chronic lupus erythematosus. Electron microscopic studies.

Vascular changes in the course of chronic lupus erythematosus were mainly characterized by a large, yet varying degree of proliferation of endothelial cells. In all cases examined the presence of tubular forms similar to paramyxoviruses was noted. The vascular basal membrane was noted to be either widened, segmentally separated or absent in places. Collagen fibres in these cases adhered directly to the endothelial cells. In the nuclei of endothelial cells of the infiltrate, "nuclear bodies" could be observed. In area surrounding capillaries oval concentrations of fibrilles 80 A in diameter were noticed.